The Fever
by financebabe
Summary: Stephanie agrees to help Ranger after he contracts a dangerous virus on a mission. Unfortunately, neither of them are prepared for the way this will change their lives or their friendship.
1. Why I'm Not a Morning Person

_JE's characters, I deserve no credit for what I've done to them._

_Jenn (perfectmanhattan) here we go again! Thank you for signing on as the beta for yet another story._

**Chapter 1 – Why I'm Not a Morning Person**

I was having the best dream. I was at Point Pleasant, sitting in the sand with a piece of pineapple upside down cake which was being fed to me by Ranger. For once he wasn't telling me how this stuff would kill me. Instead, he was patiently gathering the perfect size bite of cake and offering it to me. After I would finish chewing he would ask if I wanted more and I would nod and then moan through the next bite. The dream was perfect because it was just Ranger and I together with no interruptions and no matter how much I ate, the cake didn't seem to be getting any smaller.

Just as my dream version of Ranger reached out to push the hair away from my face that the wind had blown around I heard someone else trying to interfere in our private picnic. I couldn't see anybody, but they were calling my name and telling me I had to get up. I tried to ignore them and focus on Ranger instead but he began to disappear. I was furious so I blindly threw my arm in the direction of the person calling my name and heard a grunt of pain as though I'd really hurt someone.

That's when I realized there were hands touching me and multiple voices. As my mind began to piece together that it really was a dream, it hit me that people were in my bedroom and I jerked up in bed hitting my head against someone else's hard enough to see stars. I fell back onto my pillow realizing if the people were in my bedroom to hurt me, they could give it their best shot. Nothing was going to top that head butt in inflicting pain on me.

I rubbed my head and realized the voices had turned to laughter which encouraged me to open my eyes and look around. Tank was standing at the foot of my bed with a small grin on his face, Bobby was doubled over laughing near the door, and Lester was on the floor right beside me with an arm over his stomach and a hand on his head. At least I'd solved the mystery of who I'd hit earlier.

I glanced over at my clock and saw that it was 5:30. Because a quick look out of the window next to my bed showed it was still dark outside my temper began to boil and I pulled the sheets up to cover myself a little and asked, "What are you guys doing here, scaring the fire out of me at 5:30 in the morning?"

"We were trying to wake you up Beautiful," Lester began explaining while backing up slightly. "But you were having one hell of a dream and you didn't seem to want to come back to reality."

I began to blush at the thought of what I had been dreaming about which only served to encourage Les to ask, "Any chance you would tell us what you were dreaming about? From the sound of it, you were having one hell of a good time."

His words hooked my anger again and pointed to the door of my bedroom and said, "If someone isn't dead, or dying then I want the three of you out of my bedroom right now!"

As soon as the command left my lips all three guys looked down and shuffled slightly. They weren't making any moves to leave which nearly made my heart stop beating. I forgot all about my own modesty, jumped up from bed and asked, "Oh my God, who is it? Who's hurt?"

The guys looked at me with their blank faces which only made me panic further. I stumbled back and assumed the worst, "Is it… Ranger?" I could barely make my mouth say what my heart most feared. "Is he…"

Bobby came to me as soon as he realized what I was asked. "No, Steph, he isn't dead, but he is very sick."

My knees began to feel mushy so I sat down hard on the bed behind me and bounced slightly when I hit the mattress. I took a deep breath, relieved that it made the little white spots disappear from my field of vision and then looked up to Bobby and asked, "How sick?"

"I haven't seen him; we think he'll be in Trenton in the next two hours that's why we needed to talk to you." Bobby explained kneeling on the floor in front of me.

Getting frustrated with the lack of information I said, "Just tell me already."

Bobby took my small hands in his large dark ones and spoke looking at my fingers. "You know he's been on a mission for the last couple of months."

I did know that much. The morning of Labor Day he broke into my apartment and sat in the chair in the corner of my room watching me sleep. I knew he was there, like I always did, but I stayed still and tried to keep my breathing even as though I were asleep. After what felt like hours, I felt my bed move and the mattress dipped meaning Ranger was sitting beside me. He rarely did that, so I knew something was wrong.

"I'm leaving Babe," he said quietly running his hand through my tangled mess of curls.

"When will you be back?" I asked.

He shrugged, "I hope to be home for Thanksgiving."

"When do you have to leave?" I asked moving closer to him.

I saw a brief grimace when he checked his watch before telling me, "Ten minutes. I just stopped by to let you know to call Tank if you need anything."

I don't know what made me do it, but he seemed even more serious than normal, so I flung my arms around him and hugged him tightly to me. His arms held to me just as tightly as though he were reluctant to let me go. We stayed that way for a few minutes until I broke the silence, "Promise you'll be careful."

"Always," He said before placing his lips on my hair and taking a deep breath. "Promise me that you'll stay in touch with Tank while I'm gone. I sometimes get to call into RangeMan for a few minutes when I'm gone and I'd like to know that you're alright. The government restricts who I can call on a mission so I can't check in with you directly."

Wow, Batman was volunteering information. "I'll stop by every so often." I told him and then tried to lighten the mood, "Besides, when you're gone Ella bakes more so I might be able to talk her into fixing me one of her chocolate cakes."

"You never disappoint, Babe," he said before releasing me and standing up. His face looked like he wanted to say something else, but was holding back for some reason.

"What?" I asked hoping he would just blurt out whatever he was thinking. I should have known better, blurting isn't exactly Ranger's style.

He shook his head and touched my cheek with the tip of his index finger running it down to my jaw. "I have to go."

And with that he walked out of my room leaving me with a tear running down my face tracing the path his finger had just traveled when I heard the door shut behind him. I plopped back down on my bed confused about why his leaving this time seemed to be affecting me so strongly. He'd gone in the wind plenty of times before but I couldn't help but think this time he'd left something unsaid and it unsettled me.

I was lost in my memory of his leaving until Bobby squeezed my hands in his. "He's been in a jungle, but I can't tell you where. His mission was successful, but after he finished he had to wait a few days for his extraction to happen and in that time he came down with a virus that has made him very sick. He missed the extraction and Uncle Sam doesn't give second chances so they left him there. We had some contacts in the region and sent them over to pick him up and Woody and Cal are brining him back to Trenton right now."

I relaxed slightly knowing he would be home soon. Then my mind realized there had to be a reason they were telling me all this. I would have thought they would wait for him to get back to RangeMan and then let me know how he was. Before I could ask, Bobby continued, "This virus is something we know about, and there is a vaccine for it. Usually before Ranger leaves I verify he has all his medical updates for the region he is traveling to, and if he doesn't know the location yet, then an Army doctor does it. This time, his location shifted mid-mission which left him exposed to this virus."

"What about Woody and Cal?" I asked pulling one of my hands out of his grip and setting it on top of the pile.

"I knew where they were going so they had their vaccination ahead of time. There is no guarantee they won't get sick, but if they do it should be with a much weaker set of symptoms." Bobby clarified.

I was still confused about why they were telling me all of this. "Okay, so why are you guys here in the middle of the night to tell me Ranger is coming home, but he's sick. I assume he'll be coming to Haywood and you'll be taking care of him, right?"

Bobby's grip tightened on my hands slightly which increased my anxiety once more. "He can't come back to Haywood yet, we need a place where he can be comfortable and close by, but away from the staff and out of the general population until he is stronger."

"Why can't he go to his apartment on seven?" I pushed still unsure what they were trying to tell me.

This time Tank spoke up, "Bomber, he isn't even supposed to be in the country. Until we update his status with the government, he has to stay hidden. On top of that, his mission was classified and the virus he has is typically contracted in only two places in the world. If anyone gets the knowledge that he is back, and that his whereabouts can be confirmed it puts him in violation of his contract with the government and he can be looking at charges of treason for leaking classified information."

I shivered when Tank said the last part. It seemed horrible that the government left him there after he gave of himself to finish whatever next to impossible mission they have dropped in his lap. Now, because he is sick they don't want to admit to any knowledge of his being alive and if his illness gets out they would punish him for finding a way to get home. My anger was coming back in full force. It was an easier emotion for me to handle than worry so I allowed it to build.

"What can I do to help? I'm assuming you came here because there was something for me to do?" I said with determination evident in my voice.

Lester smiled from the doorway. "I knew we could count on you, Beautiful."

Bobby picked up, "Steph, we need someone that we can trust, and more importantly, that Ranger trusts, to stay with him while he recovers from the worst of the virus. I can give you the vaccination which might offer you some protection, but you won't have the full twenty-four period for your body to build up immunity so you may still get sick from the prolonged exposure to Ranger."

I nodded that I understood. As far as I was concerned, that wasn't worth worrying about. Ranger had put himself in plenty of dangerous situations to protect me; this was a small way I could return the favor. "Of course I'll do it, you shouldn't even have to ask," I told them.

Bobby pressed on, "You need to understand what you're agreeing to. Not only could you get sick, but he is going to be really out it. His fever is spiking and he needs around the clock monitoring to keep him from suffering permanent damage if his fever goes too high too quick. He may be suffering from delusions or hallucinations as well. You'll need to keep him hydrated and as comfortable as possible for the next few days while it runs its course."

I swallowed hard, unsure if I could do all of that. "You'll be here with me right?" I asked Bobby.

"I wish I could be," He began before dropping his head. "But Gina is pregnant and she's due in a few weeks, I can't risk being exposed and bringing it home to her or the baby. Not to mention, if I come down with it I could miss the birth."

I could see the internal struggle going on within him. He had to choose between his boss who was as close to him as a brother, and his girlfriend and unborn baby. It was an impossible decision if something went wrong with either one.

I moved my free hand to the side of his face and assured him, "I understand. If you tell me what to do I'll watch over Ranger. I can call you if I have any questions, right?" Bobby gave me a weak smile and promised he'd take my call at any hour.

The guys brought in some equipment and supplies to help me and Tank said Woody or Cal would check in each morning until Ranger was better to see if I needed anything. Since they'd already been exposed, they were the only two that could risk coming by if I needed to have any supplies dropped off. I noticed the food fairy had obviously visited while I was sleeping because there was enough food here that my cabinets couldn't hold it all.

Bobby pulled out a folder with directions, suggestions and hints and Tank gave me a letter for Ranger that he'd hand written to insure there was not an electronic trail of the information. Tank said it contained a summary of all their provisions to get him out and safely hidden at my apartment. It was attached to a new cell phone that I had not seen. They said it was untraceable and Ranger could use it to contact Tank according to directions that were included in his letter.

Before they left they reminded me that I had to keep Ranger in this apartment until his fever had been completely gone for at least twenty-four hours. They gave me this instruction with great uncertainty as though they feared he would try to get back to Haywood as soon as he began to get a little better. Bobby then opened his medic bag and pulled out a needle. I swallowed hard and sat down on the couch so that he could give me at least a little protection against whatever virus it was that Ranger had.

Tank's cell phone beeped with an incoming text and he looked down briefly before coming to stand right in front of me. "Bomber, you can do this. He needs you right now, and you were the only person that we knew he trusted enough to ask. If it gets to be too much, call me and we'll try to figure something else out."

I looked him in the eye and told him, "I'll take care of him. Don't worry, it may be hard, but I won't let him down." The relief was evident in his expression, and he could see the sincerity on my face.

"They'll be here in five minutes. They will bring him in and get him settled on your bed, and then they will leave, locking the door behind them. You can't open that door to anyone but them until Ranger is through this." Tank reminded me before they gathered up their things to leave.

Each of the guys hugged me before they walked out. Just before they walked down the hall to the stairs Lester turned back and came to me at the door. "Beautiful, he may not be in his right mind because of the pain and the fever, so no matter what he says, you need to remember that he needs you. Even if he won't admit it, he wants you too."

I felt some tears stinging at the back of my eyes but I blinked them away. Les reached out for my hand and squeezed it. "And if you end up coming down with it too, don't worry. We'll take care of you." I wasn't sure if that was meant as a threat or a promise, but the lack of a smile on his face right now told me I didn't need to worry either way.

The guys disappeared down the stairs and I looked around my now empty apartment. It looked like I was going to be stuck here for at least a few days. Thank goodness I'd just done laundry and changed my sheets. The guys had left several boxes of supplies covering every possible need they thought could come up. When I looked in the top of one box they had brought over three extra sets of sheets. I unwrapped one just enough to feel the wonderful thread count and wondered if I should put these on now so that Ranger might be a little more comfortable.

Just as I was about to strip my bed, there was a knock at my front door. I opened it quickly and saw Cal and Woody carrying an unconscious Ranger. My heart dropped to my stomach as I stepped out of the way to let them walk past me to lay Ranger in my bed.

They came back out a few minutes later clearly relieved to have gotten him home. "Can I get you guys anything, something to drink, a snack of some sort?" I offered.

They shook their heads and looked at each other sheepishly. "What?" I asked worried what they weren't telling me.

Woody began in standard RangeMan style giving me a progress report. "We gave him some Advil at 0400 for his fever, it was at 104 degrees then and it took over an hour to begin to come down. You can tell when it's spiking because he gets agitated all of a sudden even when he's sleeping. If you think he's getting too worked up, check his temperature and give him some more. But you can only give it to him every four hours, so if it begins to spike again before 0800 you'll need to use other measures to bring it down."

What other measures was I supposed to use, I wondered.

Cal picked up my unease and offered, "You can pull the covers back and take off any excess clothing. You can try sponging him off with cool water, or even cold wet towels applied directly on his body would help."

I nodded hoping this was the kind of information Bobby had included in the folder on my table.

"But you need to get on it right away because if he gets too agitated you might have trouble holding him down. He's weak so his muscles aren't going to let him jump up and start running, but weak for him is still stronger than the average man so he could hit you or knock you over without intending to if you let his fever get too high." Cal warned.

Woody picked up his report and added, "He last ate around 1700 hours, so he needs to drink something as soon as he begins to come around."

"Umm, guys," I started when they got a look as though they were leaving. "Why am I the one taking care of Ranger if you two obviously know what you're doing?"

"Because his extraction wasn't authorized and we need to burry any culpability of RangeMan. It's important for all the regular staff to be seen as much as possible to eliminate the possibility of anyone figuring out that we were the ones that got him out of there." Woody explained.

Then Cal said the thing that cemented me to my post by Ranger's side. "Plus he's been asking for you on and off since we picked him up."

I walked them to the door and Cal caught my hand and said, "If you need us, just call. We can come in and relieve you for a bit, or bring you anything you need. We'll call to check in with you every day, but if you need us before then, don't hesitate to call us."

I thanked him and began to shut the door taking one last look before I sealed myself in for however long Ranger needed me.

I decided to check on him and see how the guys left him. Ranger was on the bed under my comforter lying on his back. His boots were on the floor at my closet and on the nightstand was a bottle with a lid that looked like they thought I would somehow use that to help him go to the bathroom.

There was a thin layer of perspiration on his brow which was the only evidence of his illness. I brushed a little piece of hair off his forehead and marveled at how fragile he looked unconscious in my bed. He'd told me before that he was just a man, and right now I could be believe it. He was just a man with a virus that could serious hurt him if I failed to take care of him the right way.

Feeling very unqualified to take care of him all of a sudden I walked into the kitchen and grabbed the folder of directions Bobby left and set about to read exactly what I had agreed to do.

According to the printouts he had highlighted this virus began with rapid onset muscle weakness and dizziness followed by loss of appetite and nausea and then once the body began to weaken the fever would set in. Twenty-five percent of the people who contracted the virus died, but Bobby wrote above that fact that these people did live in a jungle and had no fever reducing medication available to them. Of those that survived, over fifty percent had permanent damage either in muscle function or permanent vertigo problems.

I shivered at the thought of Ranger suffering either of those side effects. His effectiveness on the street was due to his physical strength. If he didn't make it through this unscathed, then his ability to run RangeMan would be permanently diminished.

I felt like I'd read enough about the illness itself. I heard Ranger moaning slightly so I brought the folder in the bedroom with me to continue reading. He was perfectly still, but he seemed to be mumbling unintelligible things with every few exhales. I touched his forehead and it still felt warm, but it was no hotter than when I first checked on him.

I didn't want to be too far away so I sat in the chair in the corner of my room where he so often stayed to keep his vigil over me when I was sleeping. I read all the suggestions for keeping his fever under control as well as how to get him to eat or drink when he was awake between spikes in temperature. It seemed what worked best depended upon the patient which left me at a loss because my real knowledge of Ranger was somewhat limited. We were friends, and as far as people I trusted, he was at the top of the list, but I knew very little about him personally. It looked like I was going to have to wing it.

No sooner had I thought that, than Ranger began to get noticeably louder. I noticed he was fighting at the cover too and remembered Woody and Cal's warning that Ranger would get agitated when his fever began to spike. I put the back of my fingers against his forehead and realized he was burning up. I had been so engrossed in reading, that I'd not been paying attention and let his temperature rise. I glanced at the clock and saw we still had an hour before he could have any more medication so I pulled the comforter back to let the cool air get to him.

Unfortunately, this seemed to upset him more and he began to flail around as though he was trying to find an enemy that was hidden to him. I called out to him, "Ranger, it's Stephanie, you're here in my apartment. Everything is okay."

My words confused him further. "Babe?" I heard him clearly ask.

"Yes, Ranger, that's right. It's me." I told him moving close to sit on the edge of the bed beside him.

I thought I had gotten through to him so I reached out and touched his face again. It was even warmer this time so I looked around to see if the guys left anything to sponge him off with. Just before I stood up to get something from my bathroom his mind must have decided someone was trying to trick him and I heard a growl come from his chest just before his hand made contact with the side of my face. I fell off the bed more from the unexpected attack than the force of it.

Putting my hand to the side of my cheek I knew it would be bruising soon but I had to find a way to get his fever under control before he got any worse. I ran into the bathroom and grabbed a washcloth and allowed some cool water to pour into the basin the guys must have left in the tub.

Walking quickly, I splashed some water on the floor, but didn't waste the time to clean it up right now. Ranger was still mumbling when I got back to the bedroom and began trying to talk to him.

"Ranger, it's Stephanie. I'm here to help you." As I spoke I rubbed his skin with the cool water.

"Babe?" He asked again.

"Don't worry, you're safe right now with me," I decided I might should just try reassuring him instead of trying to tell him he was in Trenton. If he was dreaming about being in the jungle he might get even more confused.

"Am I dead?" He asked causing me to smile as I continued to rub his skin with the cool washcloth, moving his shirt up to get access to his stomach and chest.

"No, Ranger you're not dead, but you are very sick," I told him.

"Are you an angel?" He pressed trying to figure out how I could be taking care of him.

"No, I'm not an angel," I corrected him, "I'm just your friend."

He grew quiet and I thought I could tell a difference in how warm his skin was. I assumed he had fallen asleep so it surprised me when he spoke again. "Babe?"

I rang out the wash cloth once more before answering him, "Yes."

"Are you real?" He asked with his speech much clearer than it had been.

"I'm real," I promised him.

"Will you stay with me?" He asked sounding so fragile.

"As long as you need me," I replied honestly.

"Babe?" He asked once more.

"What is it, Ranger?" I responded.

"Will you lay with me?" I was feeling tired from my early morning wake up call from the guys and seeing his abs and chest exposed from my wiping them down earlier made his invitation very hard to resist.

I climbed in the bed next to him and sighed when he reached for me and drew me closer to him. I put my head on his shoulder and relaxed against his body. I could feel the tension leaving his body as sleep claimed him as well. I figured we probably had a little time before the next onset of a fever spike so I gave in and shut my eyes as well.

I had agreed to watch over him because it was a small thing I could do to care for him after all he had done to take care of me through the years, but being able to lay with him while he was so vulnerable seemed like I was getting paid more than I deserved for my effort.


	2. Defining Danger

_None of the characters below are mine. I'm shamelessly borrowing them from JE._

_Jenn(perfectmanhattan) thank you, thank you, thank you for sticking with me and working as the beta on this story._

**Chapter 2 – Defining Danger**

It seemed that Ranger's fever would begin to spike roughly every one to two hours. I would calm him down by talking to him and using the cool water on a wash cloth. Once he began to accept that I was there to help him and not hurt him, he would stop fighting. The longer he stayed awake the more clear his mind became but it was obvious he had no memory of being taken from the jungle and brought back to Trenton. After a while I realized he accepted me easier if I let him believe I was there with him instead of trying to convince him that he had been brought to me. So in Ranger's mind he and I were in a secure location somewhere in a jungle. Fortunately, he asked me very few questions so I didn't have to directly lie to him.

I noticed that if he moved at all I had the greatest success with sponging him off or medicating him if I jumped in right away. Around noon I heard his legs rustling against the sheets and I grabbed my basin of water and a washcloth and began to sponge him off again.

"Why are you here?" Ranger asked trying to piece his reality together.

"Tank wanted me to watch over you while this virus ran its course," I answered hoping that would satisfy him enough to go back to sleep.

"But why would he bring you to Columbia and then leave you here after what just happened?" Ranger pressed.

At this point I could almost feel the little angel and little devil appear on my shoulders. On the one hand, Ranger never shared what he did on his missions. I had wasted hours watching the news trying to piece together if he was involved in any of the unrest or breaking events that were reported while he was away. Having him volunteer details was too good to pass up. It wasn't like I was being nosey; he was volunteering the information, and being a good friend I was merely listening.

On the other hand, the less I knew the safer I would be. And, if I really wanted to be a good friend I would help him keep the information in his mind classified by preventing him from talking.

"After I shot him I became a target for the whole family and now that will extend to you if they see us together." He explained becoming more agitated.

I know it was wrong, but in my defense, I am from Jersey and notoriously nosy, so I shouldn't be blamed for the "Who?" that popped out of my mouth.

"Jorge Castillo, Manuel's son," He responded. "He was ready to ship massive amounts of cocaine into the US and the DEA needed him shut down. But everything went to hell and it took longer to find him and finish my assignment."

I repeated the names in my head a few times waiting for sleep to come again for Ranger so that I could Google Mr. Castillo. A few minutes later he calmed down and I set about searching for any information that would help to fill in the blanks from Ranger's story.

I found out that the members of Castillo family were wealthy land owners in Columbia. They had long been suspected of drug trafficking in the US, but to date no charges had been filed. They were on Homeland Security's list of foreigners who were not allowed to enter the country. It looked like even in his own country Jorge had a hard time staying out of trouble. The rest of the family all seemed to keep their noses clean and their activities above board, but Jorge seemed determined to stir up trouble.

Just as I was at the end of what I could learn through the web Ranger began to stir again. I repeated the motions of cooling him down but he was still agitated mumbling in a mixture of English and Spanish. I could catch Tank's name and I thought Bobby's too. Apparently he was really mad at them for involving me in this. I was talking to him and trying to calm him down but he was getting worked up quickly. In a rash decision I jumped on him, straddling his hips and resting my hands on his chest.

Ranger stilled immediately. "Babe," He said as though he were in pain.

I moved my hands up and down the muscles in his chest. If anyone asked I would have said I was using my touch to get his attention, but the truth is that after my hands fell on his hard sculpted chest I couldn't resist taking advantage of his weakened state by touching him in ways I had only dreamed of.

One of his hands moved up to rest on mine. "Please," he whispered.

"Please what?" I asked confused.

"Not strong enough," His voice faltered as he tried to answer, but my curiosity was hooked and I couldn't stop myself from asking what he meant.

"Not like this, you deserve more." He said as his face grimaced. Understanding he was uncomfortable and continuing to push the conversation would be paramount to torturing him, I moved and grabbed the liquid Advil coaxing him into taking more and then running the cool washcloth over him until he once again escaped into sleep.

I laid down next to him to shut my own eyes. I was exhausted but I wanted to be alerted to any movement he made in order to respond quickly. Of course with his warm body right behind me it didn't take long for me to fall asleep as well.

_Ranger's POV_

It is so hot in this bloody jungle. I did what the DEA charged me with and now I just need to wait it out until it was time for my extraction. I knew I had come down with the fever the locals seemed to live in fear of, but I had gotten sick all over the world and managed to pull through so I had to trust that this would be no different. I knew I was running a fever and I assumed it was pretty high because I could have sworn that Stephanie was here. I seemed to spend more time asleep than anything else giving my Babe a chance to visit me in my dreams.

I woke up to hands on me and I heard her voice. She was real, and she was in Columbia. I was going to kill the chicken shits that dropped her off and then ran, leaving her to take care of me, and effectively signing her death certificate in the process.

I needed for her to understand why she was in danger. I figured that if the guys had brought her over then clearance had been granted to include her in the mission, so I told her that I had succeeded in my objective and because of that we were in immense danger.

She seemed to listen and didn't hit me with too many questions. That wasn't really like her. When there was a mystery to be unraveled she could be as tenacious as a dog with a bone. I guess the guys had done a good job of briefing her so she didn't need to ask questions.

I had been asleep but something woke me suddenly. I didn't have my gun. How in the hell was I supposed to protect Stephanie if I didn't have a weapon. God knows she doesn't have one, or if she does I doubt it's loaded.

Sensing my unease she tried to calm me down, but I needed her to understand the danger we were in. She was telling me to relax that we were safe but I had to be sure for myself. Then I felt a warmth come over me that had nothing to do with our location. Even with my eyes closed I could feel the heat from between her legs as she straddled me in the bed and put her soft cool hands on my chest. I stopped moving immediately.

Mother of God, it felt so good to have her on me. If I hadn't already known I was sick, this would have convinced me. I didn't have the strength to move my hips to let her know the effect she was having on me. As if she was determined to torture me, those hands of hers began to move up and down my chest. It was slow and soothing at first but then it changed to sensual. I needed her to stop before I lost my mind so I put a hand on hers and begged her to quit because I wasn't strong enough to reciprocate.

I'd had sex with Stephanie only once and it was a mind blowing experience. I had every moment of our night engrained in my memory, right up to the look of utter devastation when I told her to go back to Morelli. If she had fought me on it, there was no way I could have resisted, but the fact that she endured the pain of my rejection and went back to the cop only confirmed that her feelings for me were not that strong.

But if she didn't stop moving I wasn't going to be able to control myself and she deserved so much more than what I could give her right now. I could only offer a weak imitation of a real lover, and no possibility of a future because of the danger that plagued my life. I couldn't take her like this. She deserved more than sex in a shitty bed in a safe house in Central America, and she damn well deserved more than the shell of man that I had become.

I drank the medicine she offered and felt the cool wet washcloth she used to wipe away the sweat from my body. I tried to stay still so that she would believe I was asleep and get some rest herself. I didn't know how long she had been here, but she probably hadn't slept well in a while and she never dealt well with sleep deprivation.

I let out a long breath when I felt the mattress dip and her small frame back up so that our bodies were in contact with each other. Feeling her against me I felt sleep come again.

_Stephanie's POV_

I could set my watch against how often Ranger would wake up and begin to struggle. I was getting better at dealing with his episodes but I was beginning to get tired and hoped I could keep it up until he was well enough to move to RangeMan.

Around dinner time he had one of his worst episodes which broke my heart. I couldn't stand watching him suffer and without thinking I dropped the cloth and put my hand against his cheek, lowering my face down to his to speak to him. "Ranger, I need you to calm down. You are safe here, nothing is going to get past me to hurt you but you need to settle down so that I can help to get your fever under control."

As if my words made it through his fog of understanding he began to slow down his movements and turned his face in the direction of my voice. "Sorry," He whispered.

"There is no reason to be sorry," I assured him. "I know you feel horrible but you need to stop fighting me and rest so that your body can heal. You can trust me to watch over you."

His hand touched my own and he replied, "I do trust you Stephanie." It always sounded strange to hear him say my full name. It happened rarely and usually only if he needed to get my attention or to say something of great importance. While I was pondering the sound of my name on his lips, he took a deep breath and when he let it out he said, "I trust you, I love you." And then he stopped moving completely.

I was in complete shock hearing those words come from his mouth. I waited to see if he would add a qualifier as he had so often before, but this time he was silent. I snapped out of my confusion and put my head on his chest just to double check that his sudden silence was not a result of him being in distress. I could easily hear his strong heartbeat and that along with the steady rise and fall of his chest assured me that he was fine. I took a deep breath drinking in his unique smell mixed with the masculine scent of sweat. It seemed unfair that he was dirty, had been in a jungle for weeks, and had been sick for days and but still managed to have a uniquely appealing and masculine smell.

It was such a comfort that I relaxed and drew my feet into the bed leaving my head on his chest and shutting my eyes.

_Ranger's POV_

I had no concept of time. What day was it and how long had we been in the safe house hidden away while Stephanie dealt with my helplessness? I needed to get up. I needed to overpower the weak state of my body and push this virus away so that I could protect her and get us back home.

I moved trying to get up from the bed but my body wasn't cooperating. I knew I was moving my arms and legs but somehow it still wasn't getting me off the bed. I could hear Stephanie talking which only increased my panic. Who was here with us? Was she talking to me or someone else? I needed to get up and check out the security of the house at a minimum.

Then her soft hand touched my face and she asked me to calm down, promising to protect me. There was only raw determination in her voice and I had to believe her. As much as I hated to do it I had to give into her request and rest a little more. I apologized for not being able to protect her, but I didn't think all my words came out clearly.

She seemed to be questioning whether or not I trusted her so I assured her I did. She was silent then making me wonder if she heard what I said. I decided to try once more to communicate and I took a big breath to support what needed to be said, "I trust you, I love you." That was all the energy I had so I accepted my body's worthless condition and stopped fighting.

She had yet to respond to my words. Of course she didn't. How could a vibrant woman like my Babe ever love a man like me? She had been told why I came to Columbia in the first place so she now had proof of the man I really was, proof of the killer that I was paid to be. Now she had that image of reality in her head and the broken, useless man that I had become because of this virus. I was burden at best. What did I expect her to do?

While I was lost in my pity, she moved and put her head on my chest. I felt her take a deep breath there and then move so that she was lying in the bed with me leaving her body draped across my chest. I felt her relax and I knew sleep had come to her again.

I couldn't help but smile, wondering what Morelli must be thinking right now. Did he know that she had left the country to join me? If he did, he had to have shit a brick over that. We had learned to tolerate each other as long as no lines were crossed. Stephanie putting herself into immediate danger to care for me would probably be construed as crossing a line.

I didn't want to push him too far, but sometimes I couldn't resist showing him that the only reason Stephanie was still with him was because I chose not to pursue her. That was probably a stretch. In reality she was her own woman, demanding to make her own decisions. It was that fire that attracted me to her in the first place.

I honestly didn't know why she was still with Morelli. He was a good cop, and he was a good man, but he wasn't the right man for her. He wanted to limit her options and cage her in the Burg to become a clone of her mother. He was suffering under the delusion that he wanted those things because they would be what was best for her, but in reality he wanted it because it would insure she never left him. If he could get her to give up her job and her friends then he could lock the door to her cage and keep her only for his own enjoyment.

I was willing to step away and let Stephanie make her own decisions about him as long as he didn't act too rashly. If he ever stepped over the line to force her to do something I would make it a point to be there offering her another option, letting her make the choice for herself. I knew her heart and as long as I let her decide I knew she would choose her freedom. We were alike in that way.

I put an arm around her keeping her close to me. I felt my body relax but sleep did not come. It felt like I was clear headed for the first time in days and I wanted to stay in this place where I was in control of my thoughts.

My eyes did not want to open and I didn't fight it. There was a peace that only came to me when she was in my arms and I wanted to just lie here and let it wash over me. It would do me more good than that horrible tasting medicine she kept pouring down my throat. Her arm tightened around my chest and I felt a smile come over my face. I was finally able to believe that she was real and that she wasn't going to disappear. Maybe a little more rest wouldn't hurt anything.

_Stephanie's POV_

I heard my cell phone ringing in the kitchen so I tried to get off of Ranger as easily as possible so that I didn't wake him. Caller ID showed me Bobby was on the phone so I kept my voice low and answered.

"Thank God you answered, what's going on? How is he?" Bobby asked with tension pouring from his voice.

"He's fine, he's sleeping right now," I told him.

"How about his fever, is it still spiking?" He pressed.

I gave Bobby a detailed description of what my time with Ranger had been like for the last fifteen hours and he told me I was doing a great job. He agreed that joining Ranger in his delusion was probably better than trying to talk him out of it. Then he reminded me that if Ranger said anything about the specifics of his mission I needed to block that information from my mind. "You aren't cleared to know anything, Bomber, and to keep you safe we need to be able to prove you know nothing about his illness, his mission or his whereabouts."

"He's spending a lot of time talking in Spanish," I told him intentionally misleading my friend. "If he's talking about his mission, I don't have a clue what he's saying."

I could hear Bobby let out a breath when I said that. Apparently the guys hadn't considered the possibility of Ranger telling me about his mission until recently or they would have covered that when they were here.

"Do you need anything?" Bobby asked before we got off the phone.

"No, you guys brought over half of a grocery store and every possible medical and household supply I could ever need." I responded.

"Don't forget to eat," Bobby said with a slight chuckle as though I would ever forget something as important as a meal. I laughed along with him and hung up my phone, but when I thought back, I hadn't had a meal since Ranger was dropped off so I heated up some chicken and rice soup that Ella had made. It was creamy and thick and delicious. It had roasted chicken in it so the flavor was so much more intense than if it just had regular boiled and unseasoned meat.

I took my soup back to the bedroom and sat in the chair beside the bed. Ranger stirred as soon as I sat down making me smile. We had always been able to sense each other's presence. I don't how that connection started, but the longer I knew him, the stronger it had become. I felt a tingle in my neck and based on the way he would put a hand at the juncture of his neck and shoulder when I was watching him I figured he could feel it too.

It didn't surprise me a bit that he felt my reentry into the room. He wasn't agitated, but I wondered if he was awake enough for me to try and feed him a little of the broth from the soup. It had been thickened so I didn't believe it would spill or choke him. Figuring I had nothing to lose, I decided to give it a try.

"Ranger?" I asked tentatively. "Do you think you can eat a little something?"

He moved his head in the direction of my voice and said, "What?"

"Here," I said getting a small amount of the broth on the spoon and touching it to his lips softly. "Try to eat this."

He opened his mouth marginally but I was able to get some in before he shut his lips to swallow.

I watched him closely and smiled when I saw his mouth open again. I quickly put another spoonful of soup in and felt waves of relief wash over me as he allowed me to repeat the motion again and again. It took nearly half an hour to get half a bowl of soup in him, but it was worth the effort to know the nutrition would make him stronger and probably speed his return to me.

I wiped the corners of his mouth and brushed his hair away from his face between tastes. When he had reached the end of what he wanted he thanked me and a tear fell from my eye. He seemed to be alert and not agitated which I hoped meant he was beginning to get better. Bobby's best guess was that the virus should run its course in twenty-four to seventy-two hours which wasn't the level of pinpoint accuracy I was hoping for. But I couldn't help letting the wish build that his recovery would be more in the one day range.

It was so hard to see his strong frame lying helpless in my bed. I was honored that he trusted me enough to relax and be vulnerable enough to accept care from me. I continued to run my fingers through his hair and heard a faint sigh escape his lips.

"You better be careful, Batman," I teased him. "If someone hears you make sounds like that, they'll think you've gone soft." At the time it seemed funny, but he didn't miss a beat in replying.

"I'd kill them before they had a chance to process the thought if they tried to get in here right now. The Castillo's won't get anywhere near you, Babe." He assured me.

I believed that if someone tried to break in my apartment right now he probably would find the strength to shoot them. It was that thought that made me lean over to push his gun further away from him on the bed stand.

His hand came up and gripped my arm when I leaned forward. He took a deep breath causing me to freeze with tension at what he must be thinking. "You're so beautiful," He finally said.

I tried not to laugh but a little chuckle escaped despite my best efforts. "You can't even open your eyes. How can you call me beautiful?"

"I see you without having to look at your appearance," He replied like a wise sage.

I didn't know how to respond to that, but I knew it was true. Ranger had always just known and accepted me. The last time I ended up in garbage Ranger and Joe pulled up at the same time. Joe came over yelling with his arms flapping accusing me of trying to humiliate him in front of the whole precinct. He wouldn't get closer than six feet because of the obvious smell rising from my clothes. When he finished he told me to go to my apartment before coming over to his house that night. It was humiliating that he was basically announcing to the crowd that while I wasn't worth being close to, he still expected me to do his bidding and show up nice and clean at his house to service his needs.

Ranger came in as soon as Joe turned around to walk away. He walked right up to me and pushed my hair from my face. "Proud of you, Babe." He said in his low, sexy voice nearly reducing my knees to jell-o. "You always get your man."

"Yea, I got my man and a whole lot of other unidentifiable shit on me too." I bit back. He didn't deserve my sarcasm, but I was still stinging from Joe's reaction and it was causing me to be bitchy.

Not allowing himself to be baited Ranger moved closer so that his lips were nearly touching the shell of my ear to whisper, "You did what needed to be done to capture a man who preyed on children. You put yourself in danger to protect innocents. I'd say the end justified the means in this case." The way Ranger said it made me feel that being covered in garbage almost seemed noble.

He had a way of getting past my looks and seeing me for me. I never understood it, and if I were honest it scared the hell out of me. I had to fight my heart every time I was near him and being this close to him with his guard down was turning out to be harder than I thought. The wall I tried to keep around the part of my heart that was connected to Ranger was crumbling and if I was going to survive returning to normal life after having such an intense dose of intimacy with him I needed to find a way to rebuild that wall fast.


	3. Catching a Break

_Usual disclaimer, none of the good bits are mine, JE gets all the credit._

_Jenn (perfectmanhattan) thank you for your hard work as the Beta on this story. Not even a trip over the holidays slowed you down. Thanks!_

**Chapter 3 – Catching a Break**

I kept the curtains drawn and the shades down in my bedroom to keep the light out. Ranger hadn't really opened his eyes since he was dropped off by Cal and Woody and I wanted to be sure when the sun rose, it didn't cause him any discomfort if he began to improve during the day. The night varied as he continued to waken every one to two hours. Sometimes he would just call for me and I would respond quickly, other times he would wake up disoriented and fighting.

The last time he'd awakened was the worst. It was nearing six o'clock and we'd hit the twenty-four hour mark since he'd been delivered to my apartment. I knew from the moment he began to stir his fever was spiking again. I tried to get to him quickly, but I tripped over the blanket I'd thrown over my legs the last time I was up and by the time I got to him he was swinging his arms as though in a fight with an assailant only he could see. I moved the night stand to get closer to his head and further away from the line of fire from his fists.

"Ranger!" I called out loudly trying to get him focused on me again. "It's Stephanie, you're okay, there is no one here trying to hurt you."

He must not have believed me as his struggle only intensified. I was afraid he was going to fall off the mattress and I worried that he would get hurt so I ran to the other side of the bed and climbed in to gently touch him on the shoulder. I figured even if he hit me at least his attention would be drawn to the other side of the bed away from the edge where he might fall.

As soon as my hand touched his shoulder he jumped as though it was unexpected contact. I said his name just before his left fist made direct contact with the side of my right eye. Perfect. There was no way that wasn't going to leave a mark. Now I'd have a shiner to go with the bruise on my left cheek.

Apparently, when his fist hit me it calmed down his need to fight as he began to call for me asking where I was in a complete panic to assure himself that I was alright. I brushed away the tears that fell from the pain at my eye and answered him catching his hand that was in the air searching for me.

I put his hand on my left cheek so that he could feel that I was real and be comforted. He moved his hand to the back of my neck and pulled me down beside him. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"

I remembered Bobby saying it was probably best to play along so I assured him I was fine, and that no one had hurt me. I could tell as soon as my body fell on his that he was burning up. I was discouraged that his fever was probably at its highest level. I must have missed the early signs while I was sleeping. I let him hold me for a few minutes but the heat coming off his skin scared me so I told him we needed to get his medicine and then I'd try to help him cool off.

His speech was slurred and hard to understand so I began my work assuming if he didn't like anything I was doing that he would speak up. I had been fighting his t-shirt since the guys dropped him off. I usually bunched it up under his arms and then would pull it back down when he was cool again, but it seemed so uncomfortable that I grabbed the scissors on the dresser and cut it straight up the middle and off of his arms leaving his chest completely bare.

Despite his illness, I couldn't help but lick my lips at the sight of him practically naked in my bed. I was a lucky woman to know a lot of good looking men, but no one could hold a candle to Ranger.

I kept working to wipe his body down with cool water. I pushed his sweatpants up from the bottoms to expose more of his legs and pulled his socks completely off. Briefly I wondered if he had on any underwear so that I could pull his pants off to get more cool air on his body to help regulate his temperature. I put my hand at the top of his waistband and told my arm to pull, but I couldn't muster up enough courage to really yank off his pants. I knew Ranger usually went commando and I wasn't sure I could handle him completely naked in front of me. I was no saint and the temptation to take advantage of him might be more than I could resist.

Ranger's hand moved to grip my wrist with my hand still holding the waist of his pants. "No, Babe. Not like this."

"I'm sorry," I told him, mortified that he thought I was taking advantage of him.

"When we do that again, you will be mine forever and I don't think you're ready for that." He said with his head moving from side to side.

I shushed him like a mother would a small child and continued to slowly wipe the perspiration from his body. Ten minutes later I heard a light snore coming from him so I pulled the sheet back up to keep him warm and stepped out into the kitchen for a bottle of water.

My phone rang so I jumped to answer it quickly before it woke Ranger. "Hello," I said slightly out of breath from dashing to my cell.

"Steph," Came Cal's familiar voice. "Are you alright?"

"Yea," I relaxed realizing who it was, "I just ran to answer the phone before it woke Ranger."

"If you're getting that winded just from running in your apartment I think we need to talk about your fitness level." He laughed.

"I'd be happy to discuss it with you at another time, but not now, I'm entirely too tired," I admitted as I fell onto my sofa.

"How did he do last night?" Cal asked, sounding concerned and very serious.

"He was up every hour or two. I thought things were getting better, but then just a little while ago he had another spike and he was pretty out of it. He's resting now so I'm hoping he'll be better the next time," I told him.

"And how are you holding up?" He asked showing equal concern for me.

I felt tears stinging the back of my eyes and blinked to keep them from falling, why I didn't know. "I'm okay. I'm sleepy, but I can rest once he's better."

Cal then spoke up causing the damn of tears to completely break, "You know he fought us every time he woke up. Woody stayed downstairs in your parking lot most of yesterday morning convinced Ranger was going to hurt you and you would have to call us for help. I told him he was wasting his time because you and the boss have a connection and if anyone could calm him down it would be you. Plus I knew you would never give up on him."

He must have heard my breath catch and me suck the trickle coming from my nose because I heard him swear and then say, "I'm sorry Steph, I didn't mean to upset you. Is there anything I can do? Can I come sit with him while you take a shower? Can I bring you some food, or some movies?"

I shook my head no and then remembered Cal couldn't see me through the phone. "No, thanks though. The guys gave me everything I could possibly need. I'm all set for now, but thanks for checking up on me."

"You'll call if you need something?" He asked.

"Sure thing," I assured him.

I smiled as I washed my face in the bathroom feeling very lucky for such a great group of friends.

There was a knock at my door which I didn't expect. I was unsure how to handle a visitor. All the guys from RangeMan would know not to come over, and my family never came without calling first so that only left Morelli. I decided to stay as quiet as possible and hope he would just go away.

I heard him knock, harder this time, followed by his voice calling out, "Stephanie, I know you're in there, and I know you aren't alone. A couple of the guys saw some of Ranger's men here yesterday morning but they didn't see them all leave which means you've been locked in with one of his guys for almost twenty-four hours. If you don't open this door and explain yourself right now, then you can forget us getting back together."

I put my hand over my mouth trying not to laugh. If his demand was the best sales-pitch he could come up with for us reconciling then he was about to begin a very lonely period of his life. We'd been in another of our off-periods since Ranger left on his last mission. We'd gotten together for pizza at Pino's twice, but it was no more than that, just two friends sharing a meal. I realized the last time we said good-bye that friends was all we should try to be. Apparently Joe didn't share my opinion, but I didn't care, and despite his demand at the door I had no intention of hooking up with him again.

My eyes cut to the bedroom and I smiled at the thought of Ranger in my bed asleep. I wasn't saying no to Joe because of the possibility of a relationship with Ranger. He'd made it abundantly clear that we could never be more than we were now. But seeing how differently they treated me, the hope of having someone treat me as though they loved me for who I was, like Ranger did, was why I knew Joe and I would never work.

_Ranger's POV_

I was hot again. I wondered if the heat from this damn jungle would ever let up. I could feel the sweat dripping off of me and it was making me so irritable that I couldn't even sleep comfortably. Then I heard something to my right and I knew that someone else was in the safe house. I couldn't see them, but I sensed someone else's presence.

I began to swing my arms in the hope of connecting and hurting whoever it was that dared to try and hurt my Babe. It was dark so I knew she was sleeping and defenseless. I had to stay strong and fight them away. My arms ached from the effort of raising them, but I couldn't give up.

I heard Stephanie calling my name and I panicked. If she was awake and speaking they would be able to follow her voice and take her. I couldn't let that happen. Just then the bed moved and I knew the idiot that had broken in was trying to capture me, not her. I was relieved, but I didn't let my guard down for long. Instead I paused allowing them to think I wasn't aware of their presence. A hand touched my shoulder and I threw a left hook making contact with their face bringing them down immediately.

I couldn't take the time to celebrate yet, I had to find Steph to be sure they hadn't hurt her. I called out to her and felt around blindly, frustrated that my eyes were still not working.

I felt her hand grab mine and put it on her cheek as she reassured me. Not satisfied with such a small touch I moved my hand to the back of her neck and pulled her down beside me. She obliged and provided me the opportunity to hold her against me. She was safe; I had protected her once more. Even though I was bound to this bed, I was still myself enough to trust my instincts and protect the single most precious thing in my life.

She began to speak to me about my fever being too high and then she repeated the now familiar motion of wiping my skin with a cool rag. She paused briefly which surprised me and then I felt metal on my skin. I stayed perfect still as I heard her cutting my shirt off my body and arms. She set about trying to cool me off and I smiled inside at how she never disappointed. I could almost feel her eyes on me, looking with heavy eyes at my chest.

She moved to push the legs of my pants up and pull off my socks. The cool air felt wonderful and I suppressed a moan at the refreshing feel of it on my skin. She seemed to be still for a while and once again I wished I could see her, to try and read the emotion that I knew would be present on her face. That's when I felt her hand grip the top of my pants. I debated stopping her; curious if she would really take my pants off and have me lying naked in front of her.

There was a part of me, a quickly swelling part that wished she would pull them down, just to know she wanted me. But the greater part knew that wasn't a good idea so I reached up and grabbed her wrist telling her not to do that now. I knew in my heart that if the two of us ever slept together again it would mean the beginning of a real relationship and I knew she wasn't ready for that. Hell, I wasn't ready for it either but as long as Morelli was around I knew she wasn't ready to open her heart to me and me alone. If I ever allowed myself to be in a relationship with her it would be just the two of us, and it would be forever.

_Stephanie's POV_

I flipped through the folder of information Bobby left for me for the third time. I let out a long breath realizing how lucky I was that Ranger hadn't suffered any of the horrible effects of the virus such as seizures, diarrhea or massive nose bleeds. I was exhausted and felt like I hadn't rested in days but my gut told me that he was going to make it so I just needed to stay patient and keep doing what I had been doing.

I was hungry so I glanced in the fridge and saw some broccoli and cheese soup which I heated up in the microwave. Seven in the morning wasn't usually the best time for soup, but my internal clock was all screwed up and right now this sounded good to me. I had a few bites and realized I'd made the right choice. I took a few paper towels and the soup into the bedroom to check on Ranger.

I couldn't resist sitting next to him on the bed and brushing back the piece of hair that insisted on falling over his face. My touch must have awakened him because he turned his head in my direction and said my name.

"I'm right here," I promised him and then smiled when I saw the look of tension on his face fade away at the sound of my voice. Since he was awake I thought I'd try feeding him again to see if a little more nutrition would help him pull through quicker.

I told him to open his mouth and he obeyed immediately. He swallowed slowly which concerned me that he either didn't like the soup or wasn't going to want any more. But he surprised me by saying, "That tastes like Ella's broccoli soup."

I didn't know what to say to that. If he thought we were in Columbia, then telling him Ella had made the soup would only upset him further since he would think she was here too. But I didn't want to lie to him about where it came from. Instead I tried to change the subject a little, "Do you like it?"

He nodded and then opened his mouth for more. I happily fed him and did an internal happy dance when the bowl was empty. "Do you want any more?" I asked scraping the last bit from the bottom to feed him.

He swallowed and then shook his head no. After a few moments of silence he asked, "Babe, how are we going to get home?"

"You just concentrate on getting better," I told him hoping he wouldn't press me for details. "If you do that, then you can count on me to get you home."

He smiled slightly at my words. I wasn't sure if the thought of me braving the jungle on his behalf was amusing or if he liked the determination in my voice. Whichever it was, he didn't feel the need to push the issue any further.

I touched his skin and was pleased that it only felt moderately warm. I sat the bowl down on the stand beside the bed and indulged in the opportunity to just look at him. The sheet had ridden back down to his waist so his bare chest was visible. I felt like a kid at Christmas being able to look into Santa's workshop. Ranger was truly a work of art.

"You're staring," he eventually said bringing me from my lust induced thoughts.

"I can't help it," I countered feeling braver since he couldn't see me. "The view is too breathtaking to look away."

He moved his hand and it landed on my leg where he slowly moved it up and down on my thigh. "I know the feeling," He replied with no hint of teasing in his voice. After a few minutes of the heat growing with every pass on his hand on me he said, "Let's rest a little, Babe."

I let him reposition me so that we were spooned together on the bed. I tried not to get my hopes up too far, but he certainly seemed to be getting better. Hopefully when he next woke up he would still be himself and we wouldn't have to work through another of his delusional episodes.

The past day had been one of the hardest ones in my life. Usually when I was stressed or needed something, I would call Ranger. But Ranger was the one who needed me right now, and I was overwhelmed with the feeling of inadequacy. With his arm around my waist I felt stronger, empowered just with his presence. If he needed me again when he woke up I knew I'd find a way to help him.

_Ranger's POV_

I couldn't help but notice I was spooned against someone as I woke up. I took a deep breath and caught the unmistakable scent of Stephanie's shampoo so I pulled my arms around her tighter reveling in the feel of her body perfectly fitted against mine.

For the first time in what felt like days I didn't have a massive headache. I still felt achy and warm, but I didn't feel like my head would explode so I decided to risk opening my eyes. Even though there was very little light in the room as soon as my lids opened my body reflexively shut them again. They were open long enough for me to register the curly hair on the pillow in front of me and I couldn't help but smile.

Stephanie began to stir in my arms so I tried to be as still as possible in the hope that she would go back to sleep and I could continue to hold her. I wasn't sure what happened to finally give me a little relief in how I felt but I had a feeling it was related to the woman in my arms and I wasn't ready to give up my medicine yet.

Of course she would take this single time to be a light sleeper and I felt her turn to face me. The back of her hand gently touched my forehead like a mother would do to her child when checking for a temperature. She must have liked what she felt because she sighed as she let out a long breath of relief. My illness had clearly worried her and for that I was sorry. Somehow I would find a way to make all this up to her.

I decided to begin now and I once again struggled to open my eyes. This time I was rewarded with a huge grin. She cupped my cheek with her hand and said, "Ranger, you're awake."

I responded, "I am." I didn't say anymore, the conversation was tiring me and I felt the need to hold what energy I had in reserve.

"Can I get you anything?" She asked eager to help.

I shook my head no and moved my hand on her waist, "Just stay with me Babe."

I could tell there were tears forming in her eyes, but I knew from the expression on her face that they were happy ones so I didn't try to comfort her. My eyes began to shut on their own so I pulled her to me erasing the few inches that had been between us and continued to absorb the strength that came from her presence.

I was unsure how we would get from this safe house to Trenton, but I had no doubt that Stephanie would keep her promise. Besides, with her in my arms I already felt like I was home.

_Stephanie's POV_

I felt Ranger's arm tighten around my waist and his breathing shifted from the slow long breaths to shorter, faster ones. I knew he was waking up so I tried to roll over as quietly as possible. The weight from his arm around my waist didn't make it easy to move but I needed to check on him.

I put the back of my hand on his forehead the way my mother used to when I was little. I was always convinced her hand was a better thermometer than the glass one filled with mercury and now I trusted my hand on Ranger more than the electronic one Bobby had left for me in the kitchen. He was slightly warm, but he wasn't clammy, and he was definitely not spiking a high fever right now.

I couldn't control the relief that came to me at that thought. Then I saw the most wonderful thing. Ranger's eyes fluttered and suddenly opened. I had never seen a brown as beautiful as what was looking at me. The whites of his eyes were bloodshot, and the tissue surrounding them was puffy showing the exhaustion that fighting this virus had given him, but seeing his eyes open thrilled me. I put my hand on his cheek and commented that he was awake.

Hearing his voice confirm what my eyes knew to be true was too much and my eyes began to fill with happy tears. I knew he wasn't going to just stand up and return to himself, but I was encouraged and relived to know he was definitely improving. I asked if he needed anything, and he replied, "Just stay with me Babe."

I felt his arm pull me even closer to him as though any distance between us was unacceptable. I let my hand fall to his chest and was comforted by the feel of his heartbeat. I rested my head against his chest and shut my eyes once more. If he was still himself the next time he woke I would call the guys at RangeMan to let them know he was showing signs of improvement.

The next time I woke, my bladder was screaming so I carefully extracted myself from Ranger's grip and tiptoed to the bathroom. After taking care of business I looked at myself in the mirror and gasped. My hair was in horrible shape and I knew there was no point in even trying to fix it. I pulled it back in a ponytail until I could take a shower and wash it.

Of course pulling my hair away from my face only allowed the bruises on my cheek and my eye to show up clearer. The shiner had swollen my eye slightly and the bruise was a lovely shade of purple and black. There was no way I could hide this even with all the concealer I had in my apartment, so I didn't even both to cover it up. Hopefully Ranger would keep sleeping for the next few days so that it could lighten up enough for me to hide it and avoid having to answer his questions by then.

I splashed water on my face and brushed my teeth, then returned to the bedroom hopeful that a fresh set of clothes would help me to feel revitalized in some way.

Ranger appeared to be sleeping so I opened my dresser as quietly as possible in order to grab a fresh t-shirt and a pair of clean jeans. I guess I was tired from the lack of an uninterrupted sleep because I didn't think twice about stripping down with Ranger lightly snoring behind me.

I picked up the sweats and shirt I had been wearing and threw them in the dirty clothes. Of course, my aim was a little off so I bent over to pick up the shirt that missed by a mile and heard a sound behind me as though Ranger were choking. I spun around oblivious to the fact I was standing in only my underwear and saw Ranger looking at me with his eyes wide open and a weak version of his wolf smile.

Forgetting how I looked I ran to the bed and fell to my knees in front of him asking how he felt.

The smile on his face told me he was definitely improving before he added, "I'm not at a hundred percent, but I'm definitely feeling better." Then his eyes looked down at my exposed skin, "But even at my compromised level I'm willing to see if I can keep up."

I smacked his arm and ruined my own attempt at trying to be stern with him by smiling at his joke. "It is so good to see your eyes open," I said feeling the tears begin to build, but feeling helpless to stop them.

Ranger reached over and wiped the first tear that fell from my cheek before asking, "What happened to your face, Babe? Who did this to you?"

I put my hand on his hoping my brain would come up with a way to explain the bruises without having to tell him they came from his hand. Of course the delay in my answering brought more tears to my eyes because I couldn't think of any valid reason to give him to stall the conversation.

Fortunately Ranger was moved by my distress and he shushed me pulled me up to join him in the bed. He was warm, but only moderately so. The slight increase in his temperature felt good against my bare skin. I let Ranger hold me against him and greedily absorbed the comfort he provided. Eventually the tears of relief stopped flowing and I began to pull myself together.

Then Ranger's hand stopped moving and I knew he had moved on to another thought. I wasn't the least bit surprised when he said, "How the hell did we get from Columbia to your apartment in Trenton?"

The abrupt switch in topic was welcome so I pulled back slightly and replied, "Ranger, you've been in my apartment for the last two days. After you got sick and missed your extraction, Cal and Woody went down to join a team that was in the area and they got you out of the jungle where you had been hiding. Because of how sick you were, and the fact the government was okay with just counting you as a loss for missing the pick up, the guys couldn't take you to Haywood to recover there, and they needed to be sure no one could put the pieces together and realize RangeMan had picked you up. So, they brought you here so I could watch over you and the guys could keep up with business as usual for appearances sake. Once you've been fever free for twenty-four hours you can go back to your apartment." I thought that explanation covered everything.

"You mean the guys willingly left me here with you alone to watch after me?" He asked with his voice taking a different tone that bordered on anger.

"Tank left a note for you and a secure cell phone for you to reach out to him once you were able," I offered hoping there would be some explanation for why the guys chose me. "I've followed Bobby's instructions to a tee," I added hoping he would understand I wasn't completely incapable.

He looked back at me and added, "Babe, I trust you completely, and I know you've taken care of me, but I don't understand why the guys put you in such danger. They know when I'm not here I expect them to protect you and bringing me to you with a target on my head and a virus that you could get because of contact with me does not follow that order."

"I think they were forced to make a decision where they had to protect the organization and get you back in the States and to do that you had to be left in someone's hands that wasn't exactly a part of RangeMan, yet you could trust and they assumed it would be either me or someone in your family. With those two options, they choose me. I wanted to do this, and they gave me every opportunity to say no, but in the end when I knew you needed to be with someone you could trust I wanted it to be me."

Ranger listened to my words and tucked my head under his chin effectively drawing me to him once again. I knew he followed my logic and he understood why the guys brought him to my apartment but he didn't like it at all. While his hands seemed to be willing me to relax, the tension in his own body prevented that from happening.

Realizing I wasn't going to calm down as long as he was worked up, he broke the silence, "Since I don't remember being rescued I'm assuming there is a period of time that I was here with no memory of what was happening. Did I say or do anything that I should be aware of?"

Gulp!


	4. Delusions

_None of the characters are mine…JE created and perfected them._

_Jenn (perfectmanhattan) you're the greatest! Thank you so much for your work as the Beta on this story_.

**Chapter 4 – Delusions**

_Gulp. _

How was I supposed to answer that? 'No, Ranger, nothing much other than you love me, and you went to Columbia to get rid of Jorge Castillo.' Somehow I didn't see him responding well to that. I decided to go with the same understated reply I gave to Bobby and said, "You spent a lot of time talking in Spanish."

The relief was evident on his face so I couldn't resist asking, "Why? What did you think you'd said to me?"

For the briefest second there was surprise on Ranger's face before the blank look slammed into place when he responded. "I really thought we were together on my mission and I was concerned that I might have given you some classified information. The government takes hiding the details of my activity very seriously and there could have been some immediate and harsh penalties if I'd disclosed where I had been or why."

It made sense that he was worried about his ability to keep his mission under wraps, but I was disappointed that his only fear was that he would have blabbed about his work. There was a piece of me that hoped he was afraid that he might have told me how he really felt without being cognizant enough to add on any qualifiers. I guess what I thought might have been a confession was really just a delusion because of the fever.

I don't know why this mattered to me. Ranger had always been clear that while he liked me, and we were certainly friends, there was no romantic future between us. The fact that he was convinced my apartment was a jungle should have made it clear his mind wasn't up to speed. But for some reason my heart wanted to believe him when he said he loved me. I wanted it to be true. I needed to pull myself together and get his delusional confession out of my mind. It was nothing more than the rambling of someone dreaming. His heart wasn't involved at all.

I watched him for a few minutes and he seemed to be calm and alert so I asked if he wanted to take a shower. He nodded and then pulled the sheet back to get up. His pants were still pushed up over his knees and when he sat up the remnants of his shirt fell back on the bed under him. He noticed the scraps of material and asked, "What happened to my shirt?"

I was concerned about admitting what I did but I couldn't come up with another explanation so I went with the truth, "Your fever spiked and you were really agitated. I couldn't give you any more medication so I had to rub your skin with a cool washcloth and wait for your body to bring your temperature down. I had been just pushing your shirt up to get access to your chest but that seemed so uncomfortable so I grabbed my scissors and cut it off of you."

When I worked up enough courage to look him in the face again he was smiling and said, "Damn, I was hoping that the sight of me in your bed was too much for you and you ripped my clothes off unable to control yourself." Even sick and weak, the man was still sex on legs and I had a hard time making my body work to stand up and offer him assistance in standing.

I decided to try teasing him and responded, "What makes you think it would be me that would have torn it? Maybe being in my bed for so long got you worked up enough that you ripped it yourself."

"Babe," was his only response telling me that he thought even in a fever induced haze he would still have enough of his famed control to keep his clothes in tact. I remembered him grabbing my hand to stop me from pulling his pants off and rolled my eyes at the fact that he was right; he did have more control than me.

Ranger put his arm around my shoulder and used my body to stop his swaying. Once he seemed to have his balance under control we slowly made our way to the bathroom. I turned on the water and adjusted the temperature for him before turning around and pulling his pants off. Just as I thought earlier, he was commando under his sweats and before I stood up the view right in front of my face made me lick my lips as an involuntary reaction.

I assume the chuckle from above me meant that he saw my reaction. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but give me a chance to take a shower first and if you want to try that again then I might be in a better position to respond."

Once again I pretended to be offended that he would think about sex right now, but I didn't say anything because I was afraid my voice would crack and give me away.

He stepped carefully into the shower but before I pulled the curtain to give him some privacy he swayed a little and put his hand out to balance himself on the wall. "Are you okay?" I asked worried about leaving him alone.

"I'm just a little dizzy when I try to move. I'll be okay." He replied. I realized there was no way he'd be able to bathe because he needed to bend over just to get to the soap. Without thinking it through I quickly pulled off my remaining clothes and jumped in the shower with him.

"I thought we just agreed that waiting would be a good idea," he teased.

"I'm just here to help you. You can delude yourself into thinking anything you want," I instructed as I grabbed the washcloth I'd sat out for him and lathered it up with his shower gel. If he asked I was going to lie and say it was in the supplies the guys brought over for me to care for him with. The truth was the last time I stayed in his apartment I noticed a spare bottle under the sink and I couldn't help myself, it went home in my duffle bag.

Ranger put his hands on the wall in front of him and I slipped between his arms working to lather him up everywhere. I knew he had to feel terrible because of all he had been through and hoped I could take away a little of that by getting him clean. Once I was satisfied he had been scrubbed everywhere possible I reached behind him to get the shower head and rinsed him off.

I started at his shoulder and noticed he was sporting an unusual expression with a single eyebrow raised. It seemed like he was asking a question but I had no idea what he was referring to. "What?" I finally gave in and asked.

He glanced at the shower head in my hand and said, "I'm just wondering if I'm going to get a free show. Your relationship with your shower massager is the stuff of legend."

My mouth opened but no sound came out. I had idea how to respond so I just stood there with my face beet red and tried to will my hands into moving in order to finish this shower as quickly as possible. I suddenly felt my nakedness in a way I had not earlier. When I was satisfied he was completely rinsed I hung the shower head back up and asked if he wanted to wash his hair.

He shrugged which would have given me a free pass to shut off the water and get out, but I knew when I'd been in bed for days, I never really felt clean until my hair had been washed. I put my hand on the back of his neck and used my other hand to push his head back into the stream of water. I ran my fingers through his hair jealous of how smooth it was. I used some of my nicer shampoo from Mr. Alexander. His hair probably didn't need the extra help, but I wanted to give him my very best and this stuff definitely qualified as that.

I took extra time scrubbing and then massaging his scalp. I noticed his eyes were closed and his face was completely relaxed. I had never considered it before, but something told me that Ranger liked having someone touch his hair. I decided to tuck that piece of information away for the next time he was stressed or upset and see if it helped to calm him down.

I had taken quite a while with his hair so I gently pushed his head back into the water and rinsed all the shampoo out continuing to run my hand through his hair in the guise of insuring all the soap was gone. When the water began to turn cool I shut it off mentally cursing my small hot water tank.

"I'll be glad to have the guys replace it with a larger tank, Babe," Ranger offered making me think my cursing hadn't been mental after all.

I stepped out first and wrapped a towel around me before grabbing another one for Ranger and holding out my arm to him as he stepped out dripping wet in front of me. I was temporarily paralyzed and couldn't make my arms move. His body was so ideal, and with little droplets of water dancing down his chest and stomach I couldn't tear my eyes away from his perfection. "Babe?" he asked sounding worried. I shook my head and then set about drying him off.

Just as I finished I began to look around thinking there was probably something else I needed to do. "Do you have any clean clothes for me?" he prompted.

"I'm pretty sure I do," I told him dashing out of the small space of the bathroom and into the hall where the boxes were that the guys dropped off. I picked up a set of sheets determined to change the bed before he laid down again. Under the sheets were some sweat pants that were gray and had Army printed down the leg. In the box next to that I saw a stack of black t-shirts and grabbed the one on the top. I briefly wondered if I should keep digging for some underwear but figured it would be a futile search. As far as I knew he only owned one pair and I wasn't sure the silk ones in his apartment were ever worn.

I returned to find him gripping the sink so I dropped the clothes and got close to him to be sure he was alright. "I'm okay," He assured me. "I'm just a little weak from not eating, and the fever is still there a little so my balance isn't what it should be."

I carefully dressed him and then suggested he move to the couch to sit for a while so that I could change the sheets. After getting him settled on the sofa I dashed back to my room, dressed in the first thing my hands touched and stripped the bed replacing the old sheets with some of the gloriously soft ones from Ranger's Haywood Collection. I laughed at my thought thinking that would make a great name for an elegant line of home wares.

Once the bed was complete I cleaned up the rest of the room and then picked up the pack of antibacterial wipes the guys had included and wiped over the headboard and nightstand. It wasn't that I was worried about the germs, but the wipes were scented too, and they made the room seem like a nicer place with the citrus smell freshly added.

Satisfied with my work I returned to find Ranger on the couch with his eyes shut. I figured he needed to eat so I began to look through the many containers in the fridge and found something that had rice, beans and small pieces of chicken in it. It didn't smell spicy so I decided to try that and see if Ranger could tolerate some real food. Glancing at the clock, I saw it was nearly dinner time. Apparently his bath and my work had chewed up the better part of the day.

I was working out of habit, too tired to really pay attention to what I was doing. When the microwave signaled the food was warm I reached up and grabbed two plates to split the food for us. Unfortunately, my grip was not what it should have been and one of them fell and hit the kitchen floor with a loud crash sending little shards of the broken plate everywhere around my bare feet. "Shit!" I exclaimed.

Ranger began to sit up, the commotion waking him and saw me standing in the middle of the shattered plate and told me to just stay there. He attempted to get up, but he wove back and forth before falling back to the couch. Clearly he was in no condition to assist me. I was close enough to the counter that I could hop up on it and scoot my bottom along the counter top to the edge of the kitchen past where the mess was on the floor. Then I jumped down onto the carpet in the living room and ran over the door to slip my feet in the shoes I'd left there several days ago. With my feet protected I was able to get a broom and clean up the mess I'd made.

I finished my work quickly and then served the meal on a new plate before bringing dinner for us both over to the coffee table. Ranger had an unreadable expression on his face. He accepted the fork I offered him and barely acknowledged the bottle of water I sat beside him plate. I took a bite to be sure the food was still good and slowed my chewing down to better savor the flavor of the dish before me. Only Ella could take three seemingly tasteless ingredients and turn them into a flavor explosion.

When I swallowed and looked over at Ranger he was staring at me with furrowed eyebrows. "You're exhausted," He commented as fact, not as a question.

"I was tired earlier, but after tasting this, I'm feeling much better. You have to try it, it's delicious." I encouraged him with a smile hoping he would turn his attention away from me and to his dinner.

He tightened his grip on his fork and touched it to his plate but he didn't get any food on it. "You are exhausted because you've been doing nothing but caring for me."

I wanted to disagree with him, but it would have been a lie that I knew he wouldn't believe. Instead I decided to justify it by quoting one of his favorite expressions, "No price, right? This was something you needed that I could do for you. Do you have any idea how frustrating it is sometimes to be your friend? You give, and do for me from an endless supply of generosity but there is nothing that I do in return. I know you don't look at it as a scorecard where I need to repay you, but sometimes I just wish there was something, anything that I could do to show you how much I appreciate it, how much I appreciate you. When this chance came I couldn't say no. I had to do it. So I'm a little tired. I bet we'll both sleep better tonight, and I'll be myself in the morning. I'd do it all over again if I was given the choice."

He listened to my words without interrupting and when I finished he scooped up a small forkful of rice and took a bite. I smiled inwardly not wanting to gloat that I'd made a good point that he couldn't argue against. I must have been too busy congratulating myself on a well worded argument that I didn't notice while Ranger was eating, he was also brewing too.

When his plate was nearly empty he announced, "I'll call the guys in the morning and have them pick me up so I can go back to my apartment. I appreciate all you've done for me, but I don't want to be a burden. I know what this virus is like; I've seen some of the locals suffer through it. It could be a week or more before I'm back to normal and I can't sit back and watch you wear yourself down while I'm sitting here doing nothing."

I started to see red and put my plate on the coffee table with a loud thump before moving to straddle Ranger's waist and capture his full attention. "You listen to me, and you listen good." The surprise on his face was priceless so I kept going before he tried to interrupt my momentum. "You aren't going to leave this apartment until you are fever free for at least twenty-four hours." I put my hand on his forehead to confirm he was still warm. "Based on the fact you still have a temperature now, you aren't going anywhere tomorrow. You don't want me to wear myself down caring for you?" I asked before answering my own question, "Tough shit! How many times have you been hurt caring for me? You've been shot several times, stabbed, cut, bruised and threatened with arrest all in the name of caring for me. So if you think I'm going to let you leave just because I happen to be a little sleepy, you're crazy. You are going to stay here until I'm satisfied that you are okay to leave. You won't take my chance to do something for you away because it is hard on your ego to have me doing things for you."

His eyes changed a little telling me I had hit the nail on the head with my last comment. It wasn't that I was tired; it was that he was struggling with the idea of being weak in front of me.

"I see you for who you are. The fact that you need to spend a little extra time laying down doesn't make you weaker in my eyes. You are still a total badass superhero; it's just that you are packaging it in a more human shell right now." I told him touching the side of his face and adding, "I like it."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I've always told you I was just a man, but a part of me still wanted to live up to the image you have of me."

I took the opportunity to test out my theory of him wanting to have his hair touched and I began to make gentle strokes through it, allowing my fingernails to lightly graze his scalp. I smiled when his head fell backward against the cushion on the couch and his eyes closed. He relaxed and looked totally content, an expression I couldn't recall ever seeing on his face.

I don't know how long we sat that way: me straddling his lap, his eyes closed and my hands running through his hair making random paths on his scalp. I was surprised when his eyes opened suddenly and he smiled at me. My heart rate went up noticeably, but I couldn't tell if it was from the shock of his eyes popping open or the heart melting smile on his face that seemed to be directed to me.

"I think you have convinced me it's okay to let my guard down a little and let you take care of me while I recover. I had no idea the lengths you would go through to be a good nurse." He confessed.

I wasn't sure what that last sentence was meant to convey so I decided to tease him a little before the mood shifted to the more serious. "I'll gladly nurse you back to health, but don't get any ideas about me wearing a uniform while you're here."

His eyes went dark at my mention of the nurse's uniform and I jumped off his lap before he could say anything in response. Being alone and close to him for such an extended period of time was beginning to break down some of my carefully constructed defenses and I wasn't sure I'd be able to resist his charms if he decided to tease me in return.

I helped him stand up and we went into the bathroom to get ready for bed. Nine o'clock was early by his usual standard but we were both ready for some sleep. After he was finished he slung his arm over my shoulder for support and we went to the bedroom. He took off his shirt and tossed it on the chair in the corner and then looked down. "You don't have any shorts for me, do you?" He asked hopefully.

"I don't know; I haven't fully explored all the stuff the guys brought over." I explained before heading back to the hall to quickly peruse the boxes. In the bottom of the last box was a single pair of black silk boxers. I carried them back to the bedroom and helped him change before grabbing some boxers and a tank top for my pajamas and running into the bathroom to switch my own clothes.

After changing I had a brief moment of indecision in the doorway of my room about where I should sleep. Ranger and I had certainly shared a bed on numerous occasions and he had asked me to stay with him more than once since he'd been here, but I didn't want to just climb in bed assuming it was the right thing to do.

Ranger must have picked up on my quandary because he lifted his head slightly and said, "Come to bed, Babe. I'm too worn out to try anything tonight."

I obeyed immediately and laid down on the pillow beside him. In the darkness Ranger spoke, "What did you have to tell Morelli to make it okay for me being in your bed?"

"Who is in my bed is no longer Morelli's concern." I replied quickly. "We had already broken things off, but he came around yesterday and threatened me that if I didn't open the door right then that we were through forever. Needless to say, I didn't open the door."

Ranger chuckled slightly before saying, "Don't worry, Babe, I'm sure you two will make up once I'm out of your hair."

I bit my lip wondering what to say to that. "I hope not," I finally said softly. "I've had enough of him telling me what I should or should not do. I've decided that since he can't accept me for me, then I can't accept him having such a significant role in my life. Maybe one day we can be friends, but for now the whole basis of our relationship is gone and I'm okay with that."

Ranger reached out and pulled me to him so that my head was on my shoulder and his arm cradled around my back. The front of my body touched the side of his and I loved the way we fit together this way. As soon as I stopped moving he said, "I'm proud of you, Babe."

I couldn't stop the smile that erupted across my face. To think that he understood and appreciated my decision about Joe made me feel empowered. As I thought about it, the way Ranger treated me in general was empowering, this was nothing new.

Now that I had made a decision about the unhealthy relationship, I was free to make my life whatever I wanted it to be. I knew I liked my job, but I needed to get better at it. Joe never once encouraged me to learn new skills, he just demanded that I stop altogether. I wondered if while Ranger was trapped here there might be things I could learn from him. Maybe if my training was informal, and didn't include exercise I might be more willing to stick with it. If he seemed stronger tomorrow, I'd talk to him about it in the morning.

For now, I was content to snuggle into his side and absorb some of his strength for my own.

It didn't take long before I felt Stephanie relax on my shoulder. I have to admit her words about Morelli surprised and pleased me. I knew they had a history and her mother had decided a few years back that they should be together, but I never understood why that made her go back to him time and time again. They were totally wrong for each other.

Still, since I couldn't claim her as my own I figured he was a safe choice for her. He was a good cop and his reputation on the force offered her a small amount of protection in the community. I hoped one day she would see he was holding her down and would cut herself loose. I couldn't be more proud of her for doing it on her own and for all the right reasons.

Of course that begged the question of why I cared so much about whether or not she was with the cop. I hadn't made it a secret that if he were not in her bed I would be. I had said it partially kidding and partially to see how she would react. At the time it made her blush and that reaction only made me want to push my position even more.

Stephanie had a way of making me rethink things. I had decided the life I chose for myself would need to be a solitary one. I had too many enemies, and every day brought a new opportunity for my early death. I never thought it was fair to bring a wife into that kind of uncertainty. It was an easy policy to enforce on myself when all the guys were single too. We were young and figured as long as we had our physical needs met, our emotions could be denied. But now several of the guys were settling down, and some had families too. It didn't seem to be difficult for them to manage their work schedule and their relationships which made me wonder if I should reevaluate my stance.

I looked at her innocent face and thought how easy it would be to allow her in. I could finally stop fighting it and give in to what my heart wanted. But, would that be fair to her? She just let Morelli go because of how he wanted to control her. If she were going to be with me she would need to get some more training and there would definitely be restrictions on her that I knew she would fight. Associating with me would bring her a certain amount of protection locally, but in the bigger scheme of things it could put her in a whole new level of danger from some of my enemies. Bodyguards, multiple trackers, telephone check ins and safe houses would all be a part of her life from time to time and I didn't think she would appreciate the restrictions. It would be like trading one form of control for another.

No, I had been right to keep her away. This way I could still be a part of her life. I could help her fly and not have to hold her back. Hopefully my body would use the extra rest tonight to finish fighting off the virus from my system. The sooner I was well and out of her apartment, the better. I might have decided this was the right thing to do, but the longer we were together like this, the harder it would be to stick with it.

I knew she had feelings for me, but I wasn't sure how deeply they ran. I was a good looking man, and many women had confused lust for love where I was concerned. Steph and I had a connection that went much deeper than our attraction to each other. I had to assume she felt much the same way I did and recognized the burden a relationship with me would be to her life. She knew, or at least suspected, some of things I had done. There was no way someone with a heart as pure as hers could ever fully love a heart as dark as mine. Still, I'd never met a person as loyal as she was. The two of us in a relationship would be an explosion of emotion and passion, and it would be forever. If I ever had Stephanie as my own, I knew I would never be able to let her go.

I looked back down at her sleeping on me and then shut my eyes. I could still see her in my mind's eye, her natural beauty and her sexy curls. Tomorrow I would stay strong and keep the boundaries clearly drawn, but for tonight I would indulge and hold her to me pretending she was mine.


	5. Busted

_JE gets the credit._

_Jenn (perfectmanhattan) thank you for your work as the Beta on this story. Your suggestions and gentle corrections are invaluable._

**Chapter 5 – Busted**

I woke up on edge. Staying very still to keep from attracting attention to myself I listened to see if I could gather any clues about what roused me. I heard a strange growling and knew that some animal from the jungle was near. I was guessing it was a mountain lion or some other large cat. I needed to move slowly in order to get to my gun. I tried to move my right arm but something was weighing it down and it appeared to be stuck.

Think, Ranger, think. I tried using my left hand to reach across but something was on my side as well blocking where my holster was. I took a long breath to clear my head and realized the weight I felt was another person and from the feel of it, they were not alive. There was no movement at all. I turned my head in the direction of the body and opened my eyes marginally to see if I could figure out who had been killed and dropped on me. As soon as my eyes focused I realized it was Stephanie. The bruising on her face made it look like she'd been beaten first and had died subsequent to that.

At this point I no longer cared about moving slowly to keep from being detected by a wild animal. Right now I wanted revenge. I sat up quickly dumping Steph's body from mine and put my hand on my side but my hand only came into contact with silk boxers and sheets. What the hell? This wasn't a jungle, I was in Stephanie's apartment, in her bed, and until I sat up like an idiot she had been sleeping peacefully on me. Now she was looking at me as though I'd lost my mind.

"Ranger?" She asked, worried about what made me jerk away from her. Before I could answer her stomach growled loudly and I realized what I had thought was a mountain lion was in fact the beast that lived within Steph demanding to be fed.

I was relieved and felt foolish, but there was nothing I could do to stop the smile from forming on my face. The smile turned into a soft chuckle and Stephanie threw herself at me hugging my chest tightly.

I ran my fingers through her wild morning hair and confessed that I'd had a dream and as I woke up I was disoriented enough to assume I was still in the jungle. When I told her about the mountain lion part and her stomach she began to laugh along with me. I couldn't remember the last time I'd laughed in the morning. Typically I got up, worked out, showered and prepared for day before heading out to save the world. At least that's what Steph called what I did. There was very little opportunity for joy in my usual morning routine.

We leaned on each other for a few minutes and then Steph jumped out of bed to run to the bathroom before returning to help me as well. My headache was down to a dull level, not pleasant, but manageable. Although my balance was still off, I felt stronger after a good night's rest.

Steph also seemed to be in better shape. She was moving quicker and was taking more of my weight without it feeling like she was struggling. She helped me shower once more and this time I shut my eyes and just reveled in the feel of her hands on my skin. Of course the down side was that by the time she began to wash my legs I was beginning to sport an erection. She stopped briefly when she got to it. I don't know if her pause was from surprise or appreciation.

"I'm just a man, Babe," I told her refusing to feel bad about my body's natural reaction to her touch. She was a very sexy woman, although I doubted she knew that to be true. People who claimed to love her had put conditions on their love for so long she probably thought she needed to earn someone's attention. I could easily tell her how wrong that was. How she deserved to be treasured and adored because of the beautiful woman she was.

As I was thinking about how easy it would be to let myself love her she stood back up and pushed my head back into the stream of water. Mother of God she was going to wash my hair again. I had no idea what happened yesterday when she did that, but I'd never felt something so soothing and erotic at the same time. The motion of her fingers massaging my scalp and running through my hair nearly undid me even in my weaker state. Selfishly I stood there absorbing her attention again this morning.

When I was very young my Abuela Rosa would take me to mass with her. I struggled to sit sill so she would allow me to lean over her lap while the priest was delivering his sermon and she would run her fingers through my hair. I remember it making me feel safe and at peace. She claimed it was God soothing my soul because I was at church, but I knew it was her touch. No one had ever come close to that feeling until Stephanie washed my hair yesterday. She took the peaceful element and added to it emotions that only Stephanie could stir in me. I was hungry for more.

Too soon Steph pushed my head back into the spray and washed out the shampoo. I knew my time with her was coming to an end and I briefly allowed myself to grieve at that thought. I had never been a man who wanted to escape reality, but the thought of taking Stephanie and running to a deserted island was beginning to look better and better.

My eyes opened as soon as she turned off the water and jerked the curtain open. That act brought me back to reality and I remembered my pledge last night that I would put the distance between us again in order to protect her and keep from seeing my heart for the dark place it truly was. If I loved her at all, I needed to do this.

I accepted the towel she offered and began to dry off. She took it from me when I got to my waist and bent over to get the water off my legs. While she was squatting down she said, "I see the cold water at the end had an effect on you."

There was a lightness in her voice and I couldn't help but shake my head. "Babe," I said thinking only she would point out that my erection was gone and turn it into a joke. "I'll see what I can do about the size of your hot water tank." Two could play at that game.

Despite my best efforts to push her away, Stephanie had a strength and resilience that always pushed her way back into me. I needed to concentrate on getting better quickly. The only thing that would fix this was distance, and being quarantined together wasn't going to afford me that luxury.

Stephanie moaned her way through breakfast returning me to my condition in the shower with no hope of cold water for relief. Still, it was good to see her eating well. I knew with the rest and good nutrition she would be herself again soon.

I sat on the couch while she cleaned up and when she finished she surprised me by bringing over a cell phone and a letter that I knew was from Tank. "I'm going to change the sheets on the bed and call my mom to check in so she doesn't get worried about not hearing from me. There is plenty to keep me entertained in there for a couple of hours. I'll shut the door to give you privacy and I won't come out until you call for me."

She was giving me space and privacy to touch base with Tank and begin to plan my reentrance into the world. I couldn't believe that my curious Stephanie was voluntarily withdrawing to give me a secure area. It was just one more sign of how well she understood me.

I told her I would try and keep it short and tried to assure her that she didn't need to overreact, I was only going to call Tank. "I know," She replied, "But I also know there are probably things about that mission you need to tell him, and I'm pretty sure I don't have the clearance to know what they are. The purpose of bringing you here was to protect you. Spilling classified information to me wouldn't be a sign of my looking out for you, now would it?"

I couldn't argue with her logic so I waited a minute after she shut the door to be sure she was settled and then I tore into the letter.

In true Tank fashion he cut right to the chase.

"R~ Don't be mad. We didn't have long to prepare for your arrival and we needed some place close to keep you while you were out of it and sick and it needed to be with someone we could all trust. Bomber was the only option we could all agree on. Bobby immunized her about an hour before your arrival and we were clear about all the risks, but she was determined to help you. I hope you have been behaving in a way that honors her loyalty to you."

Wow, the big guy wasn't pulling any punches was he? So far, I thought I had been alright. But it only reiterated my thought that I needed to get out of here as soon as possible before I didn't something to hurt her.

"Woody and Cal went down to pick you up. They both had the vaccine and both of them got sick the last time they were in Central America a few years ago so Bobby figured they might already have a natural immunity anyway. Bobby wanted to be the one to care for you, but Gina is too close to delivery and the chance was too great the baby could get the virus from him even if he didn't get sick. He struggled more than anyone about what to do but in the end, it was Bobby that first brought up Steph as the best option."

I had to agree, given the circumstances I couldn't think of anyone else that could have cared for me any better, or that I would have been more comfortable with. As much as I hated it personally, from a business perspective, it was the right call.

"While you're there I'll be in touch with our handler to explain that you are planning on coming back to the US after you are better. I'll try to down play your illness and make it seem more like the flu than the Black Fever from your assignment. When we talk I hope to have some answers about their reaction to the news that you survived and are well."

Hopefully they wouldn't be too inconvenienced by my recovery.

"Use this untraceable cell to call me on my sat phone. If we keep it short we should be able to catch up and plan your return to the office."

His letter was another piece of evidence in why Tank was my right hand man. We had a history where he'd proven himself time and time again. He knew what needed to be done and in my absence he filled the role of leader drawing the core team to him as a support. I was pleased to know how well they worked together when I was gone. I still wasn't happy about their involving Stephanie in this. At least she had been unharmed and I hadn't put her in any additional danger but that was by pure luck, not by design.

I powered up the cell and dialed Tank's number. "Yo," Came his response but the tone in his voice told me he knew exactly who was calling.

"The accounts of my death have been greatly exaggerated." I said twisting one of my favorite Mark Twain quotes.

"I'm sure the suits will be thrilled to hear it." He replied. "How are you man?"

"Better," I answered before leveling with him. "I'm still running a low grade fever but I'm a lot stronger. I'm guessing the fever will break today so I should be able to bust out of here tomorrow assuming you've covered my tracks."

"Taken care of," He assured me. "I don't think they fully believed me, but they couldn't pin anybody from RangeMan to an extraction and there has been no medical record of you in the states showing your return with the fever so they have no choice but to accept our version of what happened."

We talked about the plan for my return briefly. Tank would book a ticket for a private plane to fly from Miami to Trenton and I would drive to the airstrip where Tank and Lester would pick me up. As soon as the twenty-four hour mark was met I would call and the plan would go into motion.

"Bomber okay?" He asked when the plan was set.

"Yea, she's done fine," I replied.

"I didn't have any doubt about that," He interrupted. "I meant is she okay? You aren't always the easiest guy to take care of."

I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes. Jesus, she was rubbing off on me. I shut my eyes and rubbed my thumb and forefinger over them. "I've been on my best behavior," I finally said hoping that would suffice. Then I remembered her bruises and asked, "Did a skip get the better of her just before I got back?"

"No, why?" He asked.

"She has a bruise on her left cheek and a massive shiner on her right eye." I explained.

Tank began to laugh in the phone which did nothing to improve my mood. "What?" I demanded.

"Man, when we left her apartment ten minutes before you arrived she was bruise free. She hadn't had a skip to bring in all week and had been at RangeMan running background checks for Rodriguez. If she has any bruises they came from her time with you, not from a skip." He explained.

I had no idea why he found this so funny. I started thinking back through what I thought were memories of my time in the jungle with her trying to piece together what happened. My silence must have been a clue to Tank that I was done with the conversation so he disconnected and I tried to control my temper enough to not throw the phone across the room.

I remembered fighting off someone that I thought had broken into the safe house where we staying. What if that wasn't a dream? What if the person I fought off was really Stephanie trying to calm me down? Had I given her those bruises? I remembered asking her about it and she brushed the question off. Now I understood why she avoiding the answer. She knew how I would react to the knowledge of what I had done.

I sat on the couch brewing over the fact that I had hurt the one person I had sworn to protect at all cost.

_Stephanie's POV_

I straightened up the bedroom and put on a beautiful set of ivory sheets with a soft pattern on them that were buttery soft. I used some more of the disinfecting wipes to rub down the furniture and doorknob. I smiled thinking my mother would be proud of my hostess skills in caring for my guest. Of course she would never hear about it so this was one victory I'd have to celebrate in private.

Thinking of her reminded me that I needed to bite the bullet and call home. I spent the next forty-five minutes listening to her tell me about how I had upset Joe and it was all over the Burg that we were finished and I had shacked up with one of the criminals I worked with. I assured her I had not shacked up with anyone which seemed to calm her nerves and disappoint Grandma Mazur who was listening in on the upstairs extension.

Not hearing any activity I called Lula and then Mary Lou touching base to keep any suspicions from growing about my recent disappearance from society. I promised both of my friends I'd be in touch soon and told Lula I'd try to drop by the bonds office in the next couple of days.

Looking at the clock I'd been in my room for two and a half hours and I was beginning to get worried that I hadn't heard from Ranger yet. Was he still talking to Tank? Had he fallen asleep on the couch? Had he fallen down trying to get me and was now lying injured on the floor? I paced back and forth trying to figure out what to do. I finally decided to open the door slightly and listen to see if he was still talking or if he was quiet.

I stood there for at least three minutes and heard only silence. I pulled the door open all the way and was relieved to not see him on the floor. I tip toed down the hall and to the living room and saw him rubbing his eyes still on the sofa. I figured he had a headache still so I stopped by the bathroom and picked up a bottle of Advil instead of the liquid form he obviously didn't like. I knew they made the liquid medicine very sweet and his food preferences probably meant he was struggling to drink the syrup.

I didn't say anything but went into the kitchen and picked up a bottle of water and sat the water and Advil on the coffee table in front of him. He looked at the medicine for a long moment before looking up at me and saying, "I'm sorry, Babe."

I didn't understand what he meant. "Sorry for what?" I asked sitting down next to him on the couch and turning to the side to better see his face.

He reached out and touched my eye which I had forgotten about already. I blinked at his touch and realized he had somehow figured out that he had been the one to hit my face. "There is nothing to be sorry for," I tried to assure him. "You were dreaming and it was my own stupid fault for approaching you the way I did. I knew better, but I was determined to calm you down and I got in the way."

He didn't seem to buy my explanation. "I remember fighting with someone that I thought was after you, I guess the reality was that I was fighting you."

"True," I admitted and then attempted to lighten the mood. "Of course, I came out better because I only got a black eye, but you ended up unconscious afterwards so I must have given better than I got."

The corner of his lips on one side lifted slightly and I knew he had been amused even if it was only briefly so I decided to hit him up with my plan for the next few days.

"As long as we're here and you can't go anywhere I have a favor to ask of you," I began.

He lifted a single eyebrow which made me think he was interested in hearing my proposition, giving me permission to keep talking.

"I know you need to get some rest so anything strenuous is out of the question, but I wondered if you could show me a few things while we're sitting around on the couch this afternoon." I explained.

"What kinds of things?" He asked suspiciously.

I reached behind my back and pulled out a pair of handcuffs and said, "I'd love to know how to get out these without a key."

That amused look came over his face briefly and then his blank face slammed down. I had no idea what happened to make him switch so dramatically like that. He reached out and took the handcuffs turning them over in his hand and staring at them as though they would give him the answer he was looking for.

Without warning he took one cuff and quickly locked it around my left wrist with a smile. I guess that was his way of accepting my request for help in picking locks.

I produced a bobby pin from my pocket and he talked me through picking the lock. Then he transferred it over to my right wrist meaning I had to use my left hand to pick the lock. That took much longer but I eventually got it.

After lunch he cuffed both wrists in front of me and I was able to get free eventually. Then he suggested me doing it in front but with my eyes covered to simulate what it would be like if my hands were behind my back and I had to pick the lock blind.

I didn't like not being able to see. I'd always had a thing about the dark, even as a little girl I didn't like the feeling of being watched in the darkness and not being able to see past my face to know if someone was really there. After being locked in a coffin and a cabinet I had developed a fear of tight spaces and my fear of the dark only intensified.

I was determined to do this and knew with Ranger beside me nothing could happen, but when he put the towel over my face I felt my palms get sweaty and my heart started to fly. I fumbled with the bobby pin and struggled with the mechanics of feeling for the locking pin to push it out of the way and engage the open trigger to get the cuffs off.

Ranger let me struggle for a few minutes waiting with his endless supply of patience for me to do what I had already completed several times. "You can do this," He said and his confidence brought tears to my eyes. Even closed and with a towel covering my face I knew that I couldn't stop the moisture that was appearing. When my nose began to run I got mad at myself for not being able to control my emotions better. No wonder Ranger kept a 'No Relationship' rule with me. Why on earth would he want to associate intimately with someone who can't handle a task as simple as picking a lock and that got hysterical while sitting in their own apartment with a towel over their eyes? I would be an embarrassment to him if anyone knew just how inept I truly was.

I don't know if he picked up on my nose running or if his ESP was in full gear but I felt his strong hands cover mine and heard him tell me to relax. I quit trying to get the cuffs off and tried to focus on his voice alone. "Come here," He commanded pulling me to him so that I was sitting across his lap. While I loved the contact, it only made me feel like a child, unable to handle even the simplest task.

Ranger put one arm around over my lap and the other he placed on my back. "Listen to my voice, Steph." He spoke in a soft soothing voice and I tried very hard to follow his instruction.

"This is a much more important skill for you to learn than picking the lock on those cuffs." He began getting my attention about what he thought was more important than getting the cuffs off.

"When you are in a stressful situation it's okay to be afraid, it is a natural response and it's your body's way of telling you something is wrong. What you need to practice is mastering some of the side effects of that surge of fear so that the physical markers like sweaty palms or shaking hands don't keep you from meeting your objectives." The hand on my back began to slowly move from side to side relaxing me slightly.

"Take some deep breaths and think of it as you having your eyes closed, not your vision being blocked with a blindfold." He suggested.

I pulled in deeply through my nose and exhaled through my mouth. The combination of his touch and voice and the break from my frustration was beginning to settle me down. He waited another moment before lifting his hand from my lap and saying, "Now try again."

I took one more deep breath before I picked up my hands and repositioned the pin so that I could feel for the keyhole. I slowly moved letting the feel of the instrument against the steel guide me and I couldn't hold back the smile when I felt the key pin give way and the cuffs loosen as they sprung open. I had done it.

Ranger pulled the towel off of my eyes and the first thing I saw was a huge 200 watt smile lighting up his face. "I did it!" I exclaimed celebrating the fact I picked the lock without being able to see what I was doing.

Ranger quickly pointed out, "You did, but understand the greater victory here was not getting the cuffs off, I knew you could do that. The harder task was blocking the fear so that you could do what needed to be done."

I stopped to think about what he was saying and realized he was right. I tended to fly off the handle sometimes acting out of an emotional response. If I could learn to recognize what I was feeling and then block the negative aspects of it, I could make better decisions and maybe keep myself out of trouble more often. I knew he was right, but I still felt the need to keep the celebratory, light mood so I said, "That's true, but now I know the next time I'm chained to a shower I can get myself free and I don't have to humiliate myself by calling you for help."

His eyes darkened slightly at my attempt of humor and then he responded, "That would be a shame. That single moment defined our relationship more than any other and I would hate to think I just knocked myself out of contention to be called the next time you were naked and in need."

There was a brief second of silence while the electricity around us began to build. The fine hair on the back of my neck was standing on end and I knew Ranger could feel it too. His gaze fell from my eyes to my lips and the tip of my tongue came out involuntarily before I rolled my bottom lip between my teeth.

Just as he looked to be moving toward me with his eyes locked on my mouth, a ringing cut the silence in the apartment. It too me a second ring before I realized the sound was my cell phone.

I jumped up from Ranger's lap unsure if I was disappointed that I missed kissing him or relieved that I escaped before we started something that I wasn't sure was a good idea. As much as my body hummed to be back in his arms my heart was screaming that if I was ever that close to him again it wouldn't survive the ache of being sent away again.

I swiftly opened the phone and answered it to the sound of Bobby's voice, "Bomber, it sounds like your patient may be ready to fly the coup soon so there are some tests I need you to perform to clear him to reenter society."

Bobby's words cut me at my core and I leaned against the counter to hide the weakness in my legs. Ranger was going to be leaving this confinement, from the sound of it perhaps as early as tomorrow. If he was leaving that soon I was thankful to have escaped before something happened that he would regret and I would have to find a way to survive. There are some hurts that can't be healed and I was convinced that kind of rejection would be one such blow to my heart.

"Lay it on me, Bobby," I replied. "What do I need to do to get Ranger cleared for his release from my apartment?"

The smile on Ranger's face told me all I needed to know about how he felt. He was happy at the thought of leaving which meant there was nothing here valuable enough for him to want to stay.


	6. Moving On

_The characters are not mine. Unfortunately they came from JE's genius and I deserve no credit for that._

_Jenn (perfectmanhattan) you are outdoing yourself on this story as the Beta. Your gentle suggestions and critical eye are invaluable and I thank you._

**Chapter 6 – Moving On**

_Ranger's POV_

So I'm the reason Stephanie's face looks like she lost a bar fight. After spending the last few years threatening anyone who came close to her, and hurting those who crossed the line and got too close, I was the one guilty of hitting her. I rubbed my head which was beginning to ache again. I had to get the hell out of this apartment. What if I had another dream like this morning and thought I was still in the jungle? What if I woke up fighting someone who didn't exist and hurt her again? To have done it when I was not conscious was one thing, but to do it now, knowing that I am capable of hurting her would be unforgivable. I'd stay the night, but tomorrow, no matter what, I was leaving this place. I always knew my life was too dangerous for her, but now I knew I was as well.

I heard her enter the room and opened my eyes in time to see her sit a bottle of Advil and a water bottle in front of me. Of course she knew I was uncomfortable, she had a way of picking up on things like that. I apologized and she looked confused as though she had no idea why I was saying those words. When my fingers touched the side of her eye she blinked a few times and understanding came over her face. Then, of course, she tried to take away my guilt by making light of it. Leave it to Steph to turn pain into humor. It only drove the point home that I didn't deserve her in my life.

Then she did something unexpected and asked me to do her a favor. Of course I was in her debt and would gladly do anything within my power for her. She should know by now that she only needed to ask. Still, I had learned to never volunteer until you knew what was being asked of you so I waited until she gave me some more information.

When Stephanie produced a pair of handcuffs and asked me to teach her how to pick the lock I was surprised. She hadn't shown much interest in learning new skills despite my wishing she would. I figured as long as we were in the apartment anyway, this was something I could definitely teach her. I had no doubt she could do it easily. Picking a lock was all about working by feel, almost an instinctual thing, and I'd never met someone with instincts as dependable as Stephanie's.

I took the handcuffs in my hand and turned them over, hiding the smile when I saw the RM engraved below the lock. I had all our gear marked so I knew these were from my office. I wondered if Steph realized she had handed me a pair of my own handcuffs to lock her up. The idea of having Steph in a pair of my cuffs defenseless against my advances made me swallow hard to prevent the sudden gust of desire that flooded through me. As a distraction I quickly snapped the cuffs on her left wrist. I knew she was right handed so it would be easily for her to learn using her natural hand first.

It only took her five minutes after I explained what she should be feeling for and doing before the cuff sprung open. We switched to her other hand and she completed the task again in about the same amount of time.

After a break for lunch, I put the cuffs on both her hands and explained how to work on the lock at an awkward angle with your mobility limited. She pursed her lips and a cute little furrow appeared between her eyebrows as she concentrated hard on her task. It took longer, but she wasn't getting frustrated so I was patient, knowing she was determined and would eventually succeed.

Seeing that she had mastered the basic idea, I suggested she try doing it blind. Most often her arms would be cuffed behind her back so she wouldn't have the ability to see what she was doing. In order to let her experience that sensation I cuffed her hands in front of her to keep the same angle, but I tied a dishtowel around her eyes.

As soon as I leaned back I knew something was wrong. She no longer looked relaxed. Part of her cheek indented into her mouth, no doubt being chewed on by her teeth. Her fingers appeared to be shaking slightly and the bobby pin was slipping in her fingers as though they were wet. I was confused about what was wrong, she didn't really need her vision to pick the lock, so there was no reason why having her vision taken away should be this challenging. I assured her that she could do it just before I heard her drawing in quick breaths trying to hide the fact that her nose was running. She was trying to disguise the fact that she was crying.

Then it hit me; I'm such an idiot! Ever since Stiva locked her in the casket and the cabinet she has developed a fear of enclosed spaces. She tried to hide it, but I've noticed. I haven't had as much experience in the pitch dark with her, but I had a feeling having her sense of sight removed was making her feel like she was trapped and she was beginning to panic.

My first instinct was to take the towel off to show her she was alright. There were simpler ways for her to learn this. Then I realized if she wanted some basic training there was no better skill for her to learn than how to control your emotions when you are beginning to panic. If she could learn to acknowledge the fear, and control the response of her body by not letting her mind become overrun with it then she would have learned a vital lesson.

I pulled her into my lap when I saw her giving up. I put a hand on her back and explained what I thought was the more important lesson and she seemed to listen. After a few deep breaths I told her to try again and I rubbed her back softly to let her know she wasn't alone. It didn't take her long before I heard the unmistakable sound of cuffs springing open.

When the blindfold came off her entire face lit up and I couldn't stop the smile that erupted on my own face loving the feeling of accomplishment she displayed when she beamed, "I did it!" I tried to remind her the of the larger victory of overcoming her fear, but I understood why she was so focused on the more tangible.

Then she teased me still sitting in my lap that the next time she was naked and chained up to a shower rail she wouldn't have to call me. I didn't have enough control to hide my reaction to that image. I considered that midnight call from her to be the defining moment in our relationship. It was at that moment I ceased thinking of her as just another woman and decided I was going to do everything in my power to help her. Of course at that time I had no idea just how much help she would need over the years, but even if I had, the look of sheer determination on her face that was forever etched in my memory told me I wouldn't have done a single thing differently. She was embarrassed, and much to my surprise she made no attempt to seduce me as I had assumed she had intended to when I received her phone call. No, Morelli had sealed his fate when he tried to tie her down and that was why she locked him in the back of the truck and hauled him back to the station when the opportunity presented itself. Of course he'd learned nothing from that experience and he had continued to try and tie her down ever since. From the sound of her comments on their relationship yesterday he had made that mistake for the last time. My Babe had cut him off and was going to be free.

Suddenly the memory of our past, the closeness of our bodies and the reflection on her body naked and vulnerable began to turn me on. I saw the blue in her eyes darken and I knew she felt it too. I dropped my gaze to her lips in time to see the end of her tongue appear, parting her lips. Then her bottom lip rolled inward over her teeth and I couldn't stop staring at her mouth. I wanted her. With all that was in me I wanted to feel the silk of her skin against mine and taste her mouth with my tongue.

As my mind swirled with lustful images and desires, my body began to move on its own. Slowly I started to lean forward to kiss her. I could think of nothing else and was shocked and disappointed when she jumped up and ran into the kitchen. It wasn't until she was off my lap that I realized she stood up to answer the phone. For once in my life I had been so focused on what was right in front of me that I had literally drowned out everything else. Thank God Stephanie didn't realize this or she would have a great time teasing me and reminding me that I needed to be more aware of my surroundings.

A smile came across my face as I thought about her picking on me. There were very few people who would dare try, but Steph was at the top of the list. She treated me as a man, and never seemed to fear me in the way so many others did. I never knew if it was ignorance of what my past included or innocence about what that kind of past did to a man, but I always leaned toward thinking it was pure innocence. She knew some of what I had done, but never judged me because of it. In her mind I would only hurt someone if it were truly necessary. Hell, she thought I was some sort of super hero.

She turned around from leaning against the cabinet in the kitchen and looked at me which only made my smile grow larger. Despite wanting to leave as soon as possible to protect her, maybe I wasn't ready. Hell, if I couldn't control this shit eating grin on my face the guys would never let me hear the end of it. Besides, if it meant spending more time with her body close to mine, it might be worth it.

She was making notes and doing very little talking so I decided to try and walk over to where she was to see if I could figure out who she was talking to and why it was taking so long.

It took me a full two minutes to stand, control my balance and walk to her, but I did it unassisted which was a definite improvement. Another good night of rest and some more nutrition and I'd probably be ready to leave tomorrow afternoon. I tried to be as quiet as possible as I approached her to see if I could read her notes without alerting her to my presence.

I assumed she was talking to Bobby because she had written, "Tests for Ranger" on the top and then had proceeded to write things like hourly temperature readings, well rounded meal eaten and digested, bathroom and basic self care. Apparently, this was the list of things I needed to do in order to be released from quarantine.

When she hung up the phone she began talking loud enough for me to hear her in the living room. She spun around holding the tablet and ran into my chest. I put my hands on her shoulders and steadied her because I knew I had startled her. "Jesus, Ranger, make some noise next time."

I couldn't help but smile in response. "You gotta be," I began but she interrupted me and finished, "More aware of my surroundings. Yea, yea, I know."

She proceeded to explain what Bobby wanted before he would okay me leaving and risking infecting the guys in the building. She had an electronic thermometer that she put in my ear briefly and then announced I was completely normal. There was a small smile on her lips when she said that and I was curious what she was thinking. I finally asked and she replied, "I never thought I'd see the day that I'd say anything about you was just normal."

I liked what she was implying but still felt the need to remind her, "I'm just a man Stephanie." To myself I continued that thought, 'I'm just a man who is finding you harder to resist every day.' In order to protect you, and keep any semblance of the friendship I think we both depend on; I need to get out of here before one of us does something we'll both regret.

The rest of the day was filled with a few more training exercises for Stephanie. I taught her how to get through the locks on her bathroom door, and how to pick a regular lock like what secured her apartment from the hall. After she completed each task she would smile at me and say, "What else?" I was running out of ideas, but seeing that spark for learning made me keep looking around for other lessons. Before I knew it she was yawning and a quick check of the clock showed it was a little after ten. It was definitely time for bed.

I was pleased that I was able to change for bed myself and that bending over didn't make me lightheaded as it had before. Hopefully this would pass the test of basic self care on her list. I'd already eaten a meal with a meat, starch and vegetable, and gone to bathroom on my own. As long as my fever didn't redevelop during the night, and I could shower and shave unassisted in the morning, then there would be no reason to extend my stay.

As I was thinking this Stephanie climbed in bed beside me and scooted closer. I figured she was asking for permission to get closer still. Knowing this would be our last night sharing a bed I couldn't resist reaching over and drawing her to me. It was heaven to have her against my body; her warm breath on my chest and her hair tickling my nose when I turned my head toward her. If ever there was a reason to want to extend my stay, this was it. To have a legitimate reason to stay with her, just the two of us, uninterrupted by the world…I'd never known a temptation so great.

_Stephanie's POV_

I woke up the next morning and based on the amount of light in the room I knew it was well past eight o'clock. I tried to stay still and keep my breathing even while listening for Ranger. His arms were around me and I could tell from the way his muscles held a minor amount of tension and his breathing had no sound, that he was awake. I wondered how long he'd been waiting for me to wake up so he could begin his day.

When he was healthy he got up at five. Had he been waiting on me for three hours? Nah, he had been sick, most likely he'd just woken up too. Selfishly I continued to play possum and lay still. I knew this afternoon he would be leaving and I wanted to hold on to as much of him as I could. I already knew when he walked out the door my heart would crumble, but if it was going to hurt anyway I may as well have as much as possible to show for the pain.

Finally my bladder wouldn't allow me to stay still any longer. I had spent so much time yesterday pushing liquids in Ranger to make up for the length of time he was dehydrated that I didn't notice I was drinking just as much water as he was. Now I was practically floating and had no choice but to pull myself from his warm arms.

He let me get up without complaint so that I could dash to the bathroom. When I returned after taking care of all my morning needs he was standing up in the center of the room wearing sweatpants. Apparently he was feeling stronger if he was able to find clothes and change that quickly. He walked toward me smoothly, showing no signs of being unstable on his feet.

"You look much better today," I encouraged him.

He put the tip of his finger on my cheek and replied, "It's all because of you." Then he kept walking and shut the door to the bathroom turning on the shower as soon as the lock clicked.

What did that mean? Did he mean that he was better because of my care while he was out of it with his fever, or because he was close to me he was feeling stronger? More importantly, why did he lock me out of the bathroom? Was this a test to see if I could pick the lock to get in, or was it his way of telling me to stay out? We both knew he would be leaving this afternoon; maybe he was trying to redraw the boundaries between us.

I listened to the water running and I could easily picture him standing under the water without those sweatpants on. I could envision the water tracing the sculpted lines of his muscular body and suddenly felt the need to sit down. Thinking about a warm and wet Ranger was making me weak in the knees. I rested for a minute before going into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. After it finished brewing I heard him shut off the water. I thought about him tying one of my towels around his waist and standing in front of the little sink to shave. With that thought I decided to have a little fun with Batman.

I poured him a cup of coffee, leaving it black and then picked up the bobby pin I'd used yesterday to practice picking locks. I tiptoed to the bathroom and stuck the pin in the small round hole on the bathroom door and pushed the lock open before opening the door and standing there with a smile and a cup of coffee. Ranger turned around with a single eyebrow raised, half his face shaved and a big smile.

"Am I going to regret teaching you how to pick a lock, Babe?" He asked playfully taking the coffee from my hand.

"Only if you try to lock me out of places that I want to be," I said thinking that sentence was true on so many levels.

He took a sip of his coffee and then turned back to face the mirror to finish shaving. It was nice to see his smooth face reappear. The stubble from his week of being unable to shave was disappearing, leaving his younger looking face where hair had been.

I leaned against the wall and watched him work for a moment. If he minded it, he never mentioned it. It just felt good to be so close that for once in my life I didn't feel the need to add conversation. When he finished he leaned over the sink and splashed water on his face to remove the last of the shaving cream and I took that as my cue to leave.

After he was dressed he packed a few of the things the guys had brought over in a bag and asked if I would mind keeping the rest. He knew they had been purchased just to bring here so they would duplicates of what he already had at Haywood. I glanced at the boxes and saw the new heavenly sheets and the container next to that with a stack of his black t-shirts in it. I quickly agreed and then tried to smooth out my reaction by making it seem like it didn't matter as much as my initial acceptance may have come across. Smooth I was not, but in my defense since I'd gotten up this morning I knew he was leaving and I felt like one harsh word would set me off in a fit of tears.

We spent the afternoon with him showing me a few more tips for surveillance and searching a room. We did some mental memory exercises and I felt like I had learned a lot and enjoyed it at the same time. I can't believe I'd resisted training for so long. Then Ranger spoke reminding me why I'd been so set against it.

"You know, if you are really serious about learning some more I can have Bobby set up a schedule for you to work on physical conditioning and Tank can start teaching you some self-defense methods." I thought I saw the faint hint of a smile toying at the corner of his lips.

Thinking it might be fun to call his bluff I asking, "Would Les have time to work with me at the gun range too?"

I saw a split second of shock cross his face before his blank face reappeared and he said, "For you Babe, I think they'd all jump at the chance."

I had to level with him quickly before he went back and told them to set up some sort of RangeMan basic training for me. "Tell them to stay on standby. Maybe I'll take you up on that offer soon."

He laughed out loud making my heart rate increase. He was a stunning man under normal circumstances, but when he was relaxed like this he was even sexier and it was all I could do to keep from running to him and tackling him to the couch to have my way with him for the last half hour we had together.

Just as I was thinking about what I could do in a quarter of an hour there was a knock on the door. I went to the door and put my hand on the knob but Ranger cleared his throat and I paused long enough to look the peep hole seeing Cal standing there waiting. I threw the locks and opened the door happy to have a distraction to keep me out of the pointless fantasy I had just been entertaining.

Cal swooped me into his arms and hugged me tightly to him. I had always liked Cal. Despite his appearance as a tough guy, I knew he had a goofy side and ever since he passed out at Lisa's birth he hadn't tried to go back to the stoic strong silent type around me. We had an easy friendship.

When he sat me back down I couldn't help but notice the dark expression on Ranger's face. If I didn't know better I would say that Ranger was jealous. Of course I did know better and jealousy was not an emotion he would ever allow himself to feel.

Before I could think about it much more Cal grabbed my chin and said, "Jeez, Steph, what the hell happened to you?" He shifted my face back and forth looking at the bruises on both sides. "I thought you said everything was fine," There was a definite scolding tone to his voice and he glanced up to Ranger as he ended his sentence.

"It is, just like I said," I interrupted him. "Besides I walked away with the bruises, but the other guy was out cold so that should count for something, right?"

Cal laughed easily at my joke and released me to turn his attention to Ranger. "Are you ready to return to the land of the living, boss?"

Ranger nodded once and then picked up his bag. Cal took it and said, "I'll take this down to the truck and meet you there." When he got to the door he turned back and asked, "Will we get to see you tomorrow?"

I thought about it and said, "Probably not tomorrow, but I'll definitely be there the day after that. I can't imagine the tizzy Rodriguez must be in without me there to do his dirty work."

Cal laughed once more and then left. Ranger walked to me and put his hands on my shoulders. "Babe," He said bringing my eyes up to look at his face. "I can't thank you enough for putting your life on hold to take care of me."

"No price, remember?" I reminded him.

He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I'll be tied up for a couple of days in meetings trying to establish my cover for how I got back into the country, but I'd love to take you out to thank you properly sometime over the weekend."

I nodded, realizing he was saying we wouldn't see each other for a while and suspecting by the time the weekend came along he would have work that would need his attention. He pulled me to him in a tight hug and I held onto him firmly as though I could keep him from leaving.

Too soon, he pulled back and placed a soft kiss on my forehead. "See you around Babe," He whispered and then he walked away and left without so much as a second glance back.

It was so easy for him to leave. He didn't seem that upset about it. I on the other hand had to force myself to walk across the room to shut the door and throw the chain and deadbolt. Then I leaned against the door and my legs gave out forcing me to slide down the door to the floor.

I don't know why I fell apart that way. Ranger and I had shared a living space before and even though I missed him, I never felt like my heart had stopped beating. Something happened to me when he let me care for him that I couldn't resist or undo. I felt like I had finally done something for him worthwhile, and the way he responded to me made me feel appreciated and cherished. Now that he was gone there was a vacant hole where the warm feeling that came from being so close to him had been.

I had turned Joe away and I knew I would never return to him because if I were going to be in a relationship it needed to be with someone who understood me the way Ranger did. I knew Ranger didn't want a relationship with me and I could understand why but it didn't help the fact that my heart wanted him. No one else made me feel the way he did.

I decided to just give myself the afternoon to wallow in pity and get the tears and emotions out. Tomorrow I would put some of my training with Ranger into practice and I would learn to control the reactions of my body so that the emotions didn't make me do things I would regret. Today though I didn't have the strength to fight it. I hurt and all I could do was lay on the floor and cry.

_Ranger's POV_

"See you around Babe," I told her softly and then I forced myself to turn and walk out of her apartment. I didn't allow myself a second glance back because I knew if I saw her face again I would turn around and take her in my arms, unable to let her go. The only way I could protect her was to get far away from her as quickly as possible.

When I got to the parking lot Cal was in the truck with the engine running. "Good to have you back, man. You sure look better than the last time I saw you."

"Thanks for that," I said unaccustomed to being in someone's debt for saving me. In my career I had most often been the one saving others. I wasn't used to being the one that needed to be saved.

"Steph must have done a good job. Bobby didn't think you'd be well enough to resurface for another few days." He commented as we pulled out of the parking lot.

I didn't respond. I had always been a quick healer but deep down I knew Cal was onto something. I was convinced I got my strength back so quickly because Steph had been caring for me.

The rest of the ride to the airstrip was in silence. It wasn't unusual and it afforded me the chance to think about what I'd just walked away from. There was no doubt in my mind that if I'd asked she would have opened her arms and let me stay with her longer.

The thing I couldn't understand was how my chest ached. I knew there was no physical reason for the pain but I couldn't deny it hurt. This was why I didn't do relationships. Yesterday I lectured Steph on the importance of controlling her emotions and yet here I was riding down the highway wallowing in my own feelings. I knew the guys wouldn't question why I was quiet so I decided to give myself the rest of the evening to try and get over whatever I was experiencing.

Tomorrow I would get back into my familiar routine and I assumed my control would return then. At least I knew despite my own suffering that I was protecting Stephanie and saving her from having to go through something like this. By keeping a safe distance from her for a while there would be no chance for her to develop strong feelings for me and we could return to our friendship and the way things should be.

I needed to stay focused on how much better things would be tomorrow because right now I hurt and I had no idea what to do to fill in the part of my heart that seemed to be missing since I walked out of her apartment.


	7. Bumps in the Road

_None of the characters are mine. JE gets all the credit (and the money)._

_Jenn (perfectmanhattan) thank you for your hard work as the Beta on this story. Anything that really shines here is a result of your influence._

**Chapter 7 – Bumps in the Road**

_Stephanie's POV_

I heard my home phone and cell phone ring a few times, but I never bothered to get up to answer them. I finally decided I had allowed myself to fall apart long enough and forced myself from the floor to the kitchen. I pushed my way through all the food in the fridge and found a case of Corona's in the back. I didn't see any lime so I just drank it straight. It didn't seem to matter as much as it usually would. For some reason the beer had very little flavor tonight.

After my nutritious liquid meal I took a shower and put on one of the black t-shirts that Ranger left in the boxes in the hall. I looked at the sheets and briefly wondered if I should change them. Standing over his side of the bed I could see the indentation where his body had been just hours before. I put my body in the divot left by his and took a deep breath over his pillow. The tears started anew and I didn't try to fight them. It seemed like a much greater effort than I was capable of at the moment.

Ranger's POV

The men met me at the airstrip and we pulled off my "arrival" quickly in order to provide an evidence trail for my official reentry to the country. Cal brought me back to Haywood and I went straight up to seven stopping only long enough to tell Tank I would be unavailable until tomorrow.

When I left for the mission I stopped by Stephanie's apartment to tell her goodbye. I didn't have all the details for my mission and I hated leaving blind not knowing what I was going to be asked to do. Something about the uncertainty of the mission gave me the feeling that I needed to see her one more time. I needed to leave with her face clearly etched in my memory. Walking out of her apartment before the mission was hard, but it was nothing compared to leaving her a couple of hours ago.

Every muscle in my body seemed to be objecting to the idea of leaving her alone. I knew it would be hard after spending so much time near her without outside interference. Of course I wasn't conscious most of the time but she left an imprint on me just the same.

I looked in my fridge and saw Ella had stocked up for me. I pulled out a bowl of soup and saw a can of coke behind it that Ella kept for Stephanie. I took it out and rubbed my thumb over the white ribbon in the logo on the side. Without thinking about it, I popped the lid on the can and began to drink it. The fact that my body barely registered the syrupy sweetness was just one more piece of evidence that this was a poor substitute for her presence.

Stephanie's POV

I woke up and my head was pounding and my eyes burned. I guess crying until you are dehydrated isn't the best idea. I didn't allow myself to look in the mirror; I just turned the water on as warm as it would go and standing under the spray hoping for a miracle from the steam.

My eyes were puffy and red, which was lovely as a compliment to the two bruises on my face, but my hair wasn't all bad so I decided to try a little concealer and some Visine and hope that people would assume I was hung over. Speaking of hangovers, I could really go for the cure right now. Maybe the fries and Coke combo would help the hollow feeling too.

Ranger's POV

I couldn't believe how painful it was to get out of bed when my alarm went off at five. I forced myself to go down to the gym. The best way to get back to my old self was to get into my old routine. It was quiet when I entered which was how I liked it. Thinking it would probably be best to ease my body back into its workout routine I hopped on a treadmill and only ran five miles. By the end I had to force myself to keep going. It wasn't that my body couldn't keep up, it was that for the first time I could remember my heart wasn't in it and I couldn't find my zone. I shut the machine off and nodded to the guys who were beginning to come in.

Bobby stopped me and asked how I was feeling. I told him, "I'm not back to a hundred percent, but I'm better."

"No fever, no dizziness, no sustained pain?" He followed up reminding me why I valued him as the medic at RangeMan so much. He obviously had been researching this virus and knew what to look for.

"None," I replied flatly. The pain I was feeling had nothing to do with the virus.

Fortunately, I had a few days worth of paperwork to catch up on so I could avoid seeing Stephanie. If she came into work I would have my door shut and wait her out. She'd never been one to put in a full eight hours anyway.

After I showered and changed I settled downstairs in my office and sighed at the stack of paperwork that had built up in my absence. I kept my PC hooked into the monitor feed so I could see for myself if Steph came into the office. I used my laptop to review the reports that had come in. I hoped the guys completed their reports with their usual eye for detail. I ended up spending more time staring at the monitor than reading and in the end I just approved everything and called it a done day. Maybe a drive would help clear my head and restore my focus.

Just as I got off the elevator Tank was standing there and asked if I was heading out. When I shook my head yes he asked if I wanted to swing by the bonds office or if I wanted him to do it.

"I'll do it. It's one of those things that will keep up the appearance that I'm fine," I told him smiling at the thought that if Stephanie didn't come to work at RangeMan, most likely I'd run into her at Vinnie's. I knew any contact at Vinnie's would be short so there wouldn't be the chance for us to reconnect, but maybe seeing her briefly would help to settle me down.

Stephanie's POV

After swinging through the drive through at McDonald's I decided to go see the girls at the bonds office and see if there were any skips for me. Last week had been really slow so maybe something had come up after missing a few days.

I walked in and before the bell could finish ringing Lula popped up from the filing cabinet where she had been pretending to work. "White girl, where you been?"

I held up the bag of McDonalds hoping food would throw her off the trail like a dog on a bone. "There better be apple pies in there. I didn't get no doughnuts this morning so I need an apple pie."

Thankfully I'd gotten two so I handled them both over to her and then asked Connie if she had any files for me. "Not a one, hon. The only skips we've got outstanding right now are for RangeMan."

I ate a few fries while we talked about some Burg gossip. Connie decided to drop a bomb and asked, "Are you and Joe on the outs again?"

I nearly choked on my coke but decided this might be my chance to set the record straight so I told her, "Yes. He can't accept my job or me so I don't see the purpose in dating somebody when there is no future there."

"Speak of the devil," Lula said around a bite of my fries that she helped herself to while I was distracted talking to Connie.

I looked where she was pointing and saw one very angry looking Joe Morelli coming toward the office. I decided to meet him in the parking lot and hoped the yelling wouldn't attract too many people.

"Hey Joe," I said, hoping my casual tone would calm him down a little.

"Hey?" He asked before throwing his arms in the air and repeating himself, "Hey? That's all you have to say to me after disappearing from the face of the planet for four days."

"Well, it seemed like a good opening line," I replied sarcastically.

"How about you begin by telling me where you've been?" He demanded.

"I've been busy," I replied with my tone getting louder to match his.

"With what?" He pressed. "Or should I ask, with who?"

"I don't like what you're implying Joe. I have a life, one that you can't accept. So I don't feel the need to fill you in on all the details of what I'm doing." I said stepping closer to show him I wasn't going to back down because he was upset.

"The fact that I'm your boyfriend doesn't entitle me to know where you've been?" He asked with a little bit of spit flying out of his mouth temporarily distracting me.

"No, the fact that you used to be my boyfriend entitles you to nothing," I clarified once I got my focus back.

He closed the distance between us and put his arm around my arm rather tightly pulling me toward his truck.

"What are you doing?" I screeched loudly hoping he would see the ridiculous nature of what he was doing.

"I'm taking you home. We need to have a conversation without so many people listening. Once I talk some sense into you then I'll bring you back to pick up your car." He said, keeping his grip too tight for me to break loose.

Now I was regretting spending so much time working on picking locks and never asking Ranger to teach me how to break out of a simple hold like this. The more I pulled the harder he gripped; pretty soon my arm would have a nice hand shaped bruise to go with the ones on my face.

"Look at you, Cupcake," Joe pressed on. "You look like you've been beaten up in a bar fight. It's time for you to accept that you've given this job your best effort and you simply can't do it. It's time for you to accept that you're getting older and I'm willing to settle down with you so you need to think this through before you throw it all away on some dream that will never come true."

I tried to pull away because of his assumption that the things I wanted in life I would never have. I tried to pull away but soon realized that I was stuck. My temper got the better of me and I lifted my hand and slapped him. He grabbed the hand that struck him and growled, "That's great, Stephanie. Go ahead and throw away the only thing you've got going for you. I'm not going to wait forever."

"I'm not asking you to wait," I yelled back. "Now let me go!"

I was surprised when Joe immediately let go of my arm and the wrist he grabbed when I slapped him. "Like I said Steph, you need to quit entertaining fantasies that will never happen." With that seemingly random thought he jumped in his truck and pulled away. I was a bit confused until I felt the familiar tingle on my neck alerting me to Ranger's presence.

I turned around and saw him standing there with his arms crossed over his tight black t-shirt and his reflective sunglasses hiding his eyes. I didn't need to see his eyes to recognize the anger on the rest of his features. I didn't care if Ranger was the reason Joe left, I was just glad to see him go. I was tired and didn't have much fight left in me now that the rush from the confrontation was wearing off.

Ranger's POV

I pulled up in the parking lot in front of the bond's office just as Joe reached out and grabbed Stephanie's arm. He was clearly not in control of his anger and seeing the possibility for serious harm to come to her I didn't hesitate to step out of the truck and silently walk over.

I got to them in time for him to tell her she looked like she'd been in a bar fight. I cringed, knowing those bruises were of my doing. They were the reason I walked out of her apartment last night and why I tried to avoid her this morning. But seeing her with a yelling Morelli told me I was not the greater threat to her safety at this moment. I could make him back off now, and after I was sure she was okay, I'd drive away before the conversation began and leaving got too hard.

I watched as she slapped him, proud that she was refusing to believe the lies he was yelling at her. I knew she could do this job easily if she would simply allow us to help her with a little training. I never understood why Joe was so blind to her potential.

When she yelled at him I stepped closer so that I was right behind her. I made no attempt to hide my anger hoping that Morelli would understand the potential threat I represented to him if he didn't let her go. I didn't have to say a word, with a final insult to her he left and I watched as Steph's hand went to the back of her neck instead of to her arm like I thought it would.

She knew I was here. She felt it just like I did. When she spun around to face me I took off my glasses wondering if she was alright. She answered the unasked question and said, "I'm okay. I guess Joe is beginning to realize I'm serious about us being over because he's never freaked out like that before."

She looked tired and more pale than usual. I guess all the sleep she missed caring for me was catching up with her. That on top of the adrenaline drop she had to be experiencing was probably leaving her feeling drained. "You need a ride home?" I wondered.

She shook her head no. "I can get there on my own."

"What about Morelli?" I asked.

"He is obviously capable of getting himself where ever he needs to be," She told me with a little sarcasm coming through.

I had to fight the smile that wanted to come in response to her attempt at a joke. Still, this was serious so I clarified what I meant, "What about Morelli's temper. I'm not sure he is convinced that you're really through. You guys have a history of working things out in the past. He's probably assuming a little more pressure will break you. Do you want me to keep an eye on him?"

"No," She quickly insisted. I wasn't surprised that her independent nature would refuse my offer to protect her. "He'll cool off when he's away from me and if he comes around again it won't be so loud."

"You'll call if you need some back up?" I hoped.

"Sure," She said, but I don't know if she meant it or if she was just trying to end the conversation.

Before an awkwardness could come between us I reached out and pushed a curl away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. "See you around, Babe."

She seemed to be in a slight daze from my touch which made a smile come over my face despite my attempt to block it. "See you Ranger," She finally spit out.

I went in the bonds office slowly still keeping my peripheral vision on her to see that she made it to her car and seemed to be alright pulling away.

Stephanie's POV

'Stupid, stupid, stupid,' I said to myself as I pulled away from the bonds office. I had no skips to pick up so I knew I should go to RangeMan and do some background checks for Rodriguez in order to keep some income coming, but I didn't want to run into Ranger. I drove around aimlessly for a while but in the end I pulled into the space that always seemed to be left vacant for me next to Ranger's Turbo.

I let my hand run over the back of the car as I walked to the elevator. Remembering where I was I waved at the camera as the doors on the elevator closed and then I made my way to my cubicle to try and immerse myself in the exciting world of background checks. My computer hadn't completely booted up before Lester came by and swung my chair around so that I was facing a grinning face with piercing green eyes.

The smile faded quickly as he took in my face. His touch was feather light as his fingers traced the outline of the bruise at my eye. "I was going to tell you that you survived, but it looks like it came at a cost."

I wanted his smile back so I tried joking, "Yes, but I was the one still standing afterward and Ranger was the one flat on his ass. I'd say the fact that I can brag about him hitting the ground out cold was worth a little bruise."

His easy smile returned to my great relief and he stood up saying, "I can't wait to tell my cousin that. KO by a little white girl from the burg."

I spun back around and began to log in just in time to have Cal step behind me and begin massaging my shoulders. His hands were like magic and even though I know it didn't fit in with a professional office, I still let a long moan escape from the wonderful things his hands were doing. "I'll give you half of my last Tasty Cake if you'll keep that up," I said hoping he'd take me up on the offer.

"If you think this is something, you should go downstairs with me and give me the chance to rub you all over." He teased.

"Keep that up," I countered, "And I just might let you have your way with me."

I was proud of myself for stopping the giggle that wanted to break free when his hands suddenly stopped and he stuttered slightly trying to respond. "I, uh…I think we better just stick with shoulders for now so the guys don't get jealous."

I put my hands on top of his and turned my head around to see his face. "Thanks, Cal, I think that was the perfect pick-me-up to get me ready to tackle a grueling day of staring at my computer."

He smiled at me and leaned over to kiss my forehead before saying, "Anytime, Angel. Call me if you need anything else."

I got back to work and was proud of myself when I stopped to stretch and noticed I had emptied my inbox. It was already five o'clock so I decided after getting them all done I deserved a treat and made up my mind to stop by Pino's for a sub for dinner. I felt slightly guilty for picking up food when my kitchen was so full of stuff, but right now my body really wanted Pino's.

I stopped by the control room and noticed their double takes at the bruises on my face, but I shrugged them off because I didn't know who knew about Ranger being at my apartment and who did not.

I called in my order on the way so that I wouldn't have to wait. I couldn't shake the feeling of being drained, but figured a good dinner and another long night of sleep would take care of it.

Tony was behind the counter when I walked in and he waved me over picking up the bag that had my dinner in it. I gladly paid him and turned to walk away. Unfortunately as I spun around I ran right into the chest of a very tense looking Joe Morelli. "Shit," I said aloud realizing I was now face to face with an upset Italian man in a crowded restaurant. I could almost feel people pulling out their cell phones hoping to be able to snap a picture or a video of one of our legendary fights.

Joe ignored my inappropriate greeting and looked at my bag instead. "Dinner for one, I see Cupcake."

I held the bag up a little and replied, "That's right. No one to tell me what I can or cannot do plus marinara and cheese; it sounds like the perfect night."

"Keep shoveling that load and maybe you'll begin to believe it." He cut in. "But in your heart you know you made a mistake trying to say you don't want me in your life. After watching you tramp over to that office today and do God knows what with those criminals, the question is whether or not I'll take you back when you come to your senses."

"This conversation is over," I said through my teeth.

He took a step closer to me to challenge my ability to end our discussion. "Maybe for tonight, but until you see it my way, we are far from finished."

I don't know what came over me. I'm not usually a violent person so the fact that I had already slapped Joe once should have been enough to squelch that need but my fist had a mind of its own and when it flew up and connected with the side of his nose I had no ability to stop it.

"You Bitch!" He yelled as the clicking sounds began from the cameras snapping pictures in the background. "You'll regret this," He said with a hand pinching the top of his nose in an attempt to stop the blood flow.

I let him leave first and waited a minute to give him a chance to pull out of the parking lot before I walked out. I knew Joe would never hurt me on purpose but I'd pushed him twice today and I couldn't count on his control to keep me safe. Figuring it was safe, and well past my limit of being stared at by curious on-lookers, I walked out to the parking lot slowly.

Joe was leaning on my car with his arms crossed and his firm rear end on my hood. "I can't do this anymore Joe," I began without getting too close. "I need you to let me go."

He shook his head. "I'll let you go if that's what you really want, but if I go you can't expect me to ever take you back. Be sure you can live with this."

"It's the only way," I said in return. Joe's eyes narrowed as he looked at me saying nothing. He shook his head and pushed away from my car when I heard footsteps approaching.

"See ya' around," He said walking quickly to his truck at the end of the lot.

I knew from the lack of tingling that Ranger was not behind me. Curious who my saviors were this time I turned and saw one very pissed looking Tank flanked by Cal and Woody. "You okay?" Tank asked.

"Yea, I think I'll be alright." I answered. "You were just passing through?"

Cal laughed at my less than subtle way of asking how they knew I needed help. Seeing my glare he started talking, "We got a call that you had decided to practice sparring in Pino's so we thought we'd back you up or offer you pointers if they were needed."

I should have known I couldn't win against the grapevine. I looked behind them and couldn't help but notice they came instead of Ranger. I shouldn't be disappointed because I knew he had a business to run and couldn't just drop everything and come running every time I made a public spectacle of myself.

Cal saw my glance around and spoke up once more. "He was tied up but he sent us as soon as he heard Morelli was stirring up trouble. We've got your back, Angel."

I smiled at his words seeing the truth of them by the presence in front of me. "Thanks for coming guys, but I think he'll be okay now. I think he's got the message now that we've over for good."

At my last words all three guys' smiled and I was briefly stunned at the gorgeous sight in front of me.

I thanked them again and turned to walk to my car as they headed back to the SUV behind them. I could hear them talking but could only make out the word, "Asshole," assuming they were referring to Joe.

Ranger's POV

I was not physically up for this but I couldn't stop from pounding my fists into the bag again and again. Bobby let the gym door slam behind him when I refused to answer his questions or acknowledge his presence.

I don't know what the guys wanted from me. When the call came in about Morelli confronting Steph at Pino's I called Tank and told him to get over there. Tank questioned me and wondered if I shouldn't be the one to go. I don't remember him ever questioning an order from me in front of the guys before.

I stopped hitting the bag and hugged it to stop the movement from my attacks before beginning again with the pounding. Tank felt like I owed it to her to keep her safe from Morelli after she had sacrificed to keep me safe while I was sick. He didn't understand that the only way I could really protect her was by not going. The greater gift to her was the distance. If I wanted to honor what she did for me I would remember the bruises on her face and stay away from her.

The door swung open again and I stilled my punches long enough to see who had entered the gym. Tank stood there with Cal to his right. I wiped my face with a nearby towel and asked what happened.

"She punched him right in the nose and then he waited for her in the parking lot. When he saw us pull up he left. Steph thinks he'll give up, I'm not convinced." Tank reported. The fact that he was still standing there made me think there was something still unsaid.

"What?" I asked getting frustrated with the stare down.

Cal answered, "She was looking for you. She wouldn't ask but it was obvious she wanted to see you, not the three of us."

I took a deep breath and tried to tap my temper back down. I knew my men cared about her and they couldn't understand why I seemed to be turning my back on her right now. "I'll call her tomorrow and check in with her. In the meantime, we should put a shadow on her until we see how Morelli is going to react to their next run in."

I turned back to the bag and began to hit it again picturing Joe's face in my mind causing extra force to come with every blow.

I know they stood there watching me for a few minutes before giving up and walking away. It was hard to hear them over the noise I was making but I know I heard the word, "Asshole." For their sakes I was assuming they were talking about Morelli.


	8. Friendship

_JE gets all the credit for the characters below._

_Jenn (perfectmanhattan) thanks! I am so lucky to have a Beta as talented and fast as you._

**Chapter 8 - Friendship**

_Ranger's POV_

Even though I was officially off-line for a few more days, I still met with the core team at 0700. I would use the next three days to get caught up on paperwork and review some of the reports Tank had prepared in my absence to bring me up to speed. He would continue to lead the morning meeting with all the men until Monday when I would resume that responsibility as well.

I thanked Ella as she pushed the breakfast cart into my apartment with bran muffins and fruit salad for the guys to eat while we met. Just before she reached the door to leave she turned back and asked, "Does Stephanie know that you're back yet?"

I didn't want to lie to my aunt, and experience had taught me that sometimes she would answer her own question if I would be quiet long enough. Sure enough, she smiled at me and added, "I'm sure once she realizes you're here she will drop by. Let me know when she's here and I'll be sure to make her something special."

"I will, I promise," I assured her, thankful that the guys chose that moment to show up to keep her from asking any other questions that I didn't want to answer.

After going over the food like a swarm of locusts they settled down in the living room and we began to review the last few months' activities. I knew things had run smoothly, but I liked to know exactly what went down when I was gone so that I wouldn't be caught unaware on the street about anything that happened regarding my company.

As the report wound down I was pleased to know that my company was in such capable hands in my absence. It sounded as though everything had been handled just the way I would have done it. Before my good feelings could take hold Lester spoke up, "So do you want the Bombshell report too?"

I stared at him for a moment trying to see if I could figure out why he asked that. "Usually when you get back you want to know what happened with her too, do you want to go over that now?" He clarified.

I nodded trying to keep my blank face in place so that they wouldn't realize just how interested I was. Bobby began, "The low level skips at Vinnie have dropped off dramatically over the last few weeks so she's been mainly running skips here. But before that she had a couple get the better of her."

My heart was pounding in my chest at the mention of someone hurting Stephanie. "What happened?" I asked, disappointed that my voice gave away how upsetting it was to think of her hurt.

Bobby shook his head as though he were remembering something funny. "A few days after you left she had to go after Truman Wilson. He took off running and she decided to give chase until he scaled over a six foot wooden fence. Knowing she couldn't climb it she gave up and walked back to her car that was parked across from Wilson's house. She was sitting in the driver's seat catching her breath when she saw him come back to his house glancing behind him trying to be sure he wasn't followed."

I couldn't stop the smile that came over my face at that detail. Only Stephanie would be so out of breath from chasing a skip that she would need so much time to calm her breathing down that the skip would give up and go back home.

Lester picked up the story then telling me something funny was about to happen. "She got out of her car and made it across the street quietly enough to get a foot in his door just as he was about to shut it. When he opened the door and looked at her he took off running again and went back to the fence. This time she was determined to catch him so she kept up and saw that when he got to the fence he used a box on the side to boost himself up so she followed suit but when she swung her legs over the top the back of her shirt caught on the fence and ripped pushing her back down the wood of the fence."

I cringed thinking about what that could mean to her back but I tried to be quiet so they wouldn't pick up on how interested I was in the details.

Apparently the skip made the mistake of turning around and seeing her shirt tear and he laughed. That pissed Bomber off something fierce so she finished ripping her shirt to get away and then flung herself off the fence lunging at Wilson with her stun gun in hand and got him before he could react and run away. When he came too in her car he was yelling about getting caught and she asked why he didn't run away when he saw she was getting loose and he got a goofy grin on his face and said the sight of her ripping her shirt off and running toward him in nothing but her bra kept him from running."

Then Lester began to laugh interrupting his story so that Tank had to finish, "She got so pissed at him for staring at her in her bra that she zapped him again and had Eddie and Big Dog come haul him unconscious from the back of her car."

That was my Babe alright, she always got her man. Remembering that she got stuck on the fence I asked, "Injuries?"

Bobby nodded and said, "The next day she was in the office running searches and I noticed she wouldn't lean back in her desk chair so I had her come down for me to take a look and she had three large splinters embedded in her back along with a number of scratches at the surface. I cleaned her up and sent her back upstairs. To get the longest one out I had to make a small incision on the top layer of skin so she may end up with a minor scar but I didn't tell her that since I don't see how she would ever be able to see it for herself.

The guys gave me the scoop on her other misadventure taking up the next forty minutes. She would probably be mortified to know we discussed her like this and I was clueless about how to convince her the guys were actually impressed with her determination and grit to always get her skip. Hell, none of us had the capture rate she did so despite the round about way she sometimes got there it was great to hear just how creative she could be.

The guys stood up to leave and Tank handed me a few folders filled with papers and reports for me to review. I fought the urge to roll my eyes and nodded instead. "You going to see her today?" he asked in a low voice to keep the others from hearing.

I shook my head no. I needed to put a little space between us and going to her apartment had 'big mistake' written all over it. If I saw her out I would certainly speak to her, but I wasn't going out of my way to be alone with her. I wasn't sure I'd have enough control to leave her again.

"She was pretty shaken up last night after the run-in with Morelli. I think she's finally realized that they aren't right for each other." Tank pressed.

I nodded once more agreeing that she did seem to finally realize that they wouldn't make it.

"Problem is I don't think Joe's ready to give up yet so she may have some rough times ahead of her. Her Mom ain't gonna give up on the idea of having the cop for a son-in-law either." He reminded me.

"We'll keep an eye on her for the next few days until we see how Morelli's going to react." I instructed.

"But what about all the other stuff she'll have to deal with?" He asked. "She could probably use a friend right now."

I knew he was right, but I also knew that I couldn't be that friend, despite really wanting to be. I could protect her and offer her any other kind of assistance, but if I stepped in that role of comforter and friend it could develop into something more.

"We'll have to come up with some creative ways for the guys to bump into her when she's out. That way she'll know she's not alone." I suggested feeling impressed with my creative solution.

Tank deflated my ego slightly when he said, "For a smart guy you can really be stupid sometimes."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I questioned.

"You figure it out," He challenged. "All I know is that when I told Bomber you needed somebody she jumped up and demanded to know how she could help. When I tell you she needs something you suggest the guys sneak around hiding and then jump out if she looks like she needs a friend. You know that's lame. I never thought I'd see the day you'd be afraid to admit how you felt about a woman."

"It's not fear," I corrected him without thinking.

"Then what is it?" He gave me the chance to explain.

I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration. I didn't want to talk about my feelings with anybody, especially not one of my men. "It's…complicated."

Tank looked down and let out a big breath. "Life's complicated man, get over it." And with that exclamation, he turned around and left my apartment.

_Stephanie's POV_

I cracked an eye and saw my apartment was flooded with light. Ugggh! If it was that late, I guess I needed to get up. Unfortunately, there were few things I wanted to do less at the moment than get up and face another day.

I rolled over and rubbed my eyes willing them to spring open but realizing there was disconnect somewhere because they were staying tightly shut. Yesterday was a disaster with multiple run-ins with Joe who didn't seem to want to give up on the idea of us as a couple; I needed to avoid him somehow.

Usually when I wanted to avoid seeing people I'd go to RangeMan and work. The guys could tell when I wanted to be left alone and the security of the building insured no one could get in that I didn't want to see. Of course going to RangeMan meant seeing Ranger and I didn't think I wanted to do that. To be more precise I desperately wanted to see Ranger, to have him hold me in his arms, but I didn't think he wanted to see me. I refused to beg for his friendship and throw myself at him, I don't think I could handle that kind of rejection.

Tossing the covers aside I jumped up and forced myself to take a shower and get ready for the day. Not having much enthusiasm for it I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and only put on make-up to lessen the effects of the bruises on my face. I failed to cover them completely so I decided to wear a fitted long sleeve scoop neck tee in the hope of diverting attention from my face to my limited assets.

I swung by the Tasty Pastry on my way to Vinnie's and picked up a dozen doughnuts. Lula was standing at the door waiting when I pulled up. She had the door open with her hand out for the box before I even got out of my car.

"Girl, you better get in here and tell me there is something in that box for me. I done worked myself into a tizzy and I need some nourishment." Lula called out as I walked past her at the door.

I handed her the box knowing she would take it if I didn't so I just gave into the inevitable. "What's going on that got you worked up?" I asked her.

Spraying a little powered sugar from her mouth making her chest looked like two snow covered mountain peeks she started talking. "Officer Hottie stopped by this morning and said he wants you to call him. He said the two of you had a misunderstanding last night and if you call him he'll explain it and everything can go back to normal."

I rolled my eyes at her mention of the word normal. Nothing in my life had ever been normal and even if he thought our relationship qualified in that department, I had no interest in going back to him.

"You don't believe him?" She asked grabbing another doughnut.

I shook my head no. "I think he'll say I misunderstood how he was trying to take care of me and then jump in to say that if I'll give up my work with RangeMan and my friendship with the guys then we can be happy together."

"Umm-hmm," Lula replied.

"What?" I wondered. Something in the way she was looking at me said she had more to say.

"I think you're right. He said you two could go back to normal, but the way he said it gave me the creeps. I've known guys that want to be in control and that cop had control freak written all over his face." She explained before adding, "Plus he looked like he wasn't being honest about something."

I knew exactly what she meant. Lula might be a little rough around the edges, but she was fiercely loyal to me, and there was no denying the time she spent working on the streets made her a great judge of character. She could spot a lie a mile away.

"Thanks for the heads up that he's looking for me, but I'm not going to be calling him any time soon. Maybe I will after he's cooled down for a bit and sees that I'm right about us being better off apart." I told her.

Connie came out of the ladies room and asked if she'd missed anything. Lula summed it up. "I told her about the cop's visit and she ain't buying it either."

Connie sat down after taking a detour to grab a doughnut from the box in Lula's lap. "The grapevine has it that you've been running around with Ranger or one of his men and Joe would forgive you but you're being stubborn and refusing to work it out with him."

I tried to keep my temper from getting away from me. "That's just perfect. Of course he's the one that the Burg would side with. I'll bet my mother is ironing the wallpaper right now. I'm surprised she hasn't been trying to call me." I said digging through my purse for my cell phone. When I pulled it out I saw it was on vibrate and I had fifty three messages.

"Shit!" I exclaimed seeing the display. The girls were staring at me waiting for a better explanation so I told them about turning off the ringer so that I could rest. I managed to remember to not mention Ranger even though I really turned it off for his benefit when he was still at my apartment.

I knew I needed to work through the messages and clear them off, but I didn't want to do it with an audience. I asked Connie if she had any files for me and tried to hide my disappointment when she said no.

I walked out to my car to go through my backlog of voicemail. Leaning against the hood of my car I pushed my code in and let the verbal lashing begin.

_Ranger's POV_

"Yo," I answered, glad for any interruption from the mountain of reports I was working through.

Cal's voice came through, "Boss, Steph has been leaning against her car listening to her cell phone for the last fifteen minutes."

"She was busy for a few days so she's probably just listening to her voicemail," I replied hoping I was right.

"That's what I thought too, but she started crying a few minutes ago," He interrupted.

What did he want me to do about it? My body was itching to jump up and rush to her side. I wanted to pull her in my arms and threaten who ever had left the message that was upsetting her. Instead, I said, "Then get out of your car and check on her. See if she needs anything. But if this is a personal thing then leave her alone."

"Wait," Cal said sounding confused. "You want me to interrupt her on the phone to see if she needs anything and then leave her alone?"

When he said it like that it did sound like the wrong approach. "I want you to check on her and act like her friend." I corrected.

"I am her friend," Cal quickly bit out. "I called you because I thought you were too." Then he hung up on me. I needed to get a grip on this new Stephanie protocol before too many of the men overstepped the bounds of telling me what to do.

Stephanie's POV

I finally reached the last of my messages. Since none had been received today I had to assume it was that my allotted memory had been chewed up, not that people ran out of hurtful things to say.

It started simple enough with a few guilt laden messages from my mother wanting to know why I didn't call to let her know I was alright. Apparently the neighbor's children call all the time. Then Joe started leaving his usual messages, "The boys miss you," and "Call me, we can watch the game and then catch up." Of course both messages meant the same thing – he was horny and expected me to drop everything and come running.

Then Joe's message changed and he told me my mother was very upset to hear about me running around with the thugs from RangeMan. Of course that was followed up with several "Why me?" messages and some where she reminded me of my advancing age and how I better snap out of what ever rebellious stage I was in and grow up and marry Joe.

I don't know when the tears started, but when I finally snapped my phone shut I realized my face was wet and my chest hurt. It made me physically ache to know that my family and one of my oldest friends didn't know me well enough to realize how much their messages hurt and how much it served to motivate me to do the exact opposite of what they wanted.

I jumped when I felt two strong arms wrap around me. I opened my eyes and saw I was face to face with a tight black t-shirt. A quick sniff told me it wasn't Ranger, but I knew I was safe so I melted against the chest a little and tried to pull myself together.

"Shhh, Angel, it's alright," Came the comforting voice of Cal. He and Hector were the only two that called me Angel and I knew from the lack of accent and the size of the pectoral muscles against my forehead that it wasn't Hector.

I pulled back a little and used my fingers to try and wipe away the moisture from my face. "Hey Cal," I said hoping I could convince him that I was alright so that word of my public melt down wouldn't reach everyone at RangeMan.

"Do you need me to shoot someone for you?" He asked making me laugh.

"I think I'd rather have you teach me how to use my gun so that I could pull the trigger myself," I teased back.

I wasn't sure if he understood it was just a joke because he immediately engrossed me in a huge bear hug pulling my feet up from the pavement. "I'd love to teach you how to use your gun," He said in my ear, "But in the meantime I'll still be glad to take them out for you."

Oh man, how do you take back something once it's come out of your mouth? The pressure from his arms was beginning to seriously restrict my airflow so I said, "Uh, Cal? A little air would be nice here."

My feet hit the asphalt right away and I looked up into the face of a very merry Merry Man. "Do you want to start now?"

I swallowed hard, "Now?" His grin only increased with the crack in my voice. What had I gotten myself into? I didn't want to spend time in the gun range at Haywood. If anything I was trying to avoid going there at all today. Still, I needed something to do other than think about the disaster that was my life and the fact that the people closest to me didn't seem to think I was capable of making decisions for myself. What did I have to lose? "Okay, now it is."

Cal grabbed my hand and pulled me over to his SUV where Woody was sitting in the passenger seat looking very confused. Woody stepped out as we approached and Cal explained. "I'm going to take Steph for a little training session. Any chance you can take her car to Haywood and we'll meet you there?"

Woody nodded and put his hand out for my keys. I handed them over and marveled at how the guys managed to get through the day with so few words spoken. Thank goodness for the guys like Cal and Lester that would break with tradition and talk every once in a while.

I took the seat that had been filled with Woody only moments before and zoned out as Cal pulled out of the parking lot. It wasn't until we pulled into a shopping center that I looked at Cal confused about what we were doing.

He smiled at me and explained, "I promised to train you to use your gun, but before I can do that you need to get comfortable with the idea of pointing a weapon at someone and pulling the trigger, plus you need to relax. You are way too uptight to work on aim or stance right now." Then he pointed out the window to the sign over the door in the front of us.

"Laser Quest?" I asked. "You're taking me to Laser Quest."

He nodded and I jumped out. I'd never been but Mary Alice had gone to a birthday party here a few months ago and told me all about it. She had a blast and it did sound like something I would enjoy.

It was during a school day so the place was completely disserted when we walked in. Cal walked up to the man behind the counter and did a complicated handshake before turning around and holding his arm out to have me walk closer. "Any chance you can hook the two of us up for a little while without anyone else in the room?" He asked an agreeable manager.

Five minutes later I was in a vest with a white plastic gun in my hands and Cal was explaining the rules to me. I needed to stay hidden from sight as much as possible and try to shoot him without getting hit myself. Shots only counted if they were to the chest so I needed to be careful about randomly pulling the trigger. It would make a sound and alert him to my location so missed shots could end with me getting taken out.

I was bouncing on the balls of my feet. I had no idea that any form of training with the guys could be fun.

An hour later my face hurt from smiling so hard and I was exhausted. The house lights came up and Cal came over to me with a grin to match my own. "How do you feel about having a gun in your hand now?"

"If it were possible to take out the bad guys with one of these, I'd never complain about having to carry at all times," I confessed.

He gave me a half hearted noogie and led us back to the counter. We got a print out of our four games and he pointed out how much better my score had gotten in each set. I'm sure there was a lesson in there about practicing but I wasn't in the mood for lessons. I wanted to look at the final set where he may have killed me twenty one times but I managed to get him back eighteen. I may not have won, but I still felt like I'd held my own at the end.

We went back to Haywood and he gave me the scorecard to keep. "Anytime you want to get in a little more training, just let me know. There are lots of other ways to learn some skills besides blowing through shells in the gun range."

I grabbed his hand in the elevator and said, "Thank you Cal. I know you had more important things to do today than babysit me, but I had a great time, and I think I really needed that."

The doors opened to the fifth floor and he squeezed my hand before releasing it and saying, "Anytime Angel."

We went our separate ways and when I sat down at my desk I saw my keys were sitting on my keyboard. I worked for a couple of hours but had trouble concentrating. I was tired and my back was sore. I assumed some of the running around I had just done had pulled something so I ignored it until three o'clock when I realized I'd been working on the same background check for thirty minutes and I had yet to do a single thing on it other than type in the name.

I started shutting down my computer just as Bobby walked by. "Leaving us so soon, Bomber?"

"Yea, I've had enough of you guys for today so I thought I'd go home and crash," I said with a smile.

His eyes narrowed marginally when I mentioned crashing. "Do you feel okay?"

"Geez, Bobby, lighten up. I'm just tired from the sleep I missed over a couple days so I need to catch up on it." I explained with a bit of a huffy tone.

"When did you last eat something?" He asked looking at me now with his full on medic gaze.

"I had doughnuts at Vinnie's this morning," I told him. Once it came out of my mouth I remembered I hadn't actually eaten any of them, I'd given them to Lula and she and Connie did the damage without me claiming any as my own. I decided to correct myself, "Actually no, I delivered doughnuts to Vinnie's this morning, so half a meatball sub last night was my last meal."

He looked relieved when I told him that. "You look a little pale and I'll bet your blood sugar is dropping so go grab something from the break room then head home for a good night's rest. Call me if you don't feel better tomorrow."

"I feel fine," I insisted, but I did dutifully walk to the break room and pick up an apple. There were sandwiches and other snacks, but nothing really appealed so I just went with a portable piece of fruit and grabbed my purse on the way down to the garage.

I put the key in the ignition and smiled when I noticed the gas needle rise to full. I knew there was a quarter of a tank of gas in the car this morning but somehow the gas fairy had visited and now it was full. I giggled at the image of Woody as a fairy and decided to just send him a thank-you e-mail from home and not share the image I had of him in tights.

By the time I got through the traffic from an accident near the office I was exhausted. Maybe Bobby was right and I did need to eat more to get my energy level up. I looked in the fridge but nothing jumped out at me. Shutting the door I went to the couch and laid down for a minute swearing that I hadn't picked up the remote control before I settled on the cushions.

I stayed there for a few minutes not able to find an energy reserve for getting up again. As I relaxed I noticed my body was aching more than it did after Laser Quest. It wasn't just my back, but my neck and legs were sore too. I had a mild headache and my eyes felt dry and scratchy. Maybe I was too out of shape. I could never admit to the guys that an hour of a kid's game had gotten me in this condition. They'd start waking me up at the crack of dawn to try to whip me into shape.

I finally decided that I couldn't let this beat me and figured I would pop a few Advil to help with the aches and then grab a bottle of water and the remote before settling down to rest for a bit.

I stood up and was surprised to see the apartment tilt slightly. I reached out for the arm of the couch to steady myself. I didn't usually get dizzy so it left me feeling really disoriented.

I couldn't deny that something was definitely not right and I didn't think a lack of food or playing with Cal was to blame. Maybe I should call Bobby and let him know I wasn't feeling well all over and then go to bed. When I was little a good night's rest was all it took to get over most bugs I picked up.

My phone was in the kitchen so I took off in that general direction fighting the dizziness that was making my vision blurry and my path anything but straight. I got about halfway there and had to stop for a minute to shut my eyes in order to stop the room from spinning.

I was worried that my legs wouldn't hold me up much longer since they were starting to feel like jello. I forced my eyes open and moved my leg to take another step toward my purse on the counter but when my foot hit the linoleum my knee never snapped in place to support my weight and I crumpled onto the floor. My head hitting the floor registered as a painful experience but I didn't think I'd broken anything or done any real damage from hitting the ground.

I turned my head and saw my purse was still completely out of reach. I didn't have the energy to get to it so I decided to shut my eyes and just lay there for a few minutes. Maybe a little nap on the floor would give me the energy I would need to get to my bedroom. Thank goodness no one was here to see me right now. As the darkness began to take over I felt the drool start to puddle under my cheek and thought it definitely wasn't my finest hour.


	9. Complications

_The characters belong to JE, not me._

_Jenn (perfectmanhattan) wow, you are making this story so much more fun to write. Thank you for the hard work you put in as the beta in this story._

**Chapter 9 – Complications**

_Ranger's POV_

Something isn't right. I just don't know what's wrong. I've spent the last three hours tossing in bed unable to sleep. A quick glance at my alarm tells me I may as well give up and head down to the gym. I only had five minutes before my five AM wake up call anyway.

I jumped on the treadmill and began to jog. No one is in the gym so focus isn't a problem. My mind wanders back to Stephanie's apartment and the way she took care of me. I can't remember anyone trying to nurture me since my mother did it when I was a little kid.

I've always known Stephanie was a sexy woman. She has a confident air about her like she's comfortable in her own skin and she knows her limitations but pushes the limits of what those are. She is intelligent and has instincts that occasionally rival my own. Now that I've seen her nurturing side I see that there has never been a more well rounded and amazing woman. I never would have thought having someone take care of me while I was sick could be a turn on but if I allowed myself to think about it I could almost feel her hands running through my hair with her nails lightly grazing my scalp.

"Somebody woke up on the right side of the bed this morning," Came an unexpected voice to my right.

I nearly fell off the treadmill when I whipped around to see who had snuck up on me. "Tank," I curtly greeted him.

"It's not like you to run with a grin on your face so I'm assuming something unusual happened to put it there." He was pushing my good nature this morning with that additional comment.

"Thought it was a free country and a man could keep his thoughts to himself," I cut him off.

"Alright," He replied smiling in return. "Keep your secrets. When I see Bomber this morning I'll be sure to ask her if she has any guesses about what would put a goofy smile on your face."

I jumped of the belt surprised when it showed seven miles completed. I guess my energy and endurance is improving. "You can do that and then come back downstairs and meet me in the ring." It was an empty threat and he knew it, but it still made my point. I could tell from the nod he gave me that Stephanie would never hear a word about this conversation.

When I brought up my computer I saw an e-mail from Bobby telling me he needed the next few days off since Gina was beginning to have contractions and he wasn't willing to leave her side in case they developed into full blown labor. I smiled for the second time that day. Maybe I was picking up on his unease. As comfortable as he was in hospitals he was in a near panic over the delivery. It was outside his comfort level and all he could see were potential complications. I typed out a quick response wishing him good luck and asking him to keep us informed about what was happening. I knew the guys would want to know when Brown became a Dad. Maybe that piece of good news would keep them from riding my ass about Stephanie.

I got into my zone and managed to finish the last of the catch-up work from my time away. It felt good to know I was back up to date and could now turn my attention to some of the strategic growth I wanted for RangeMan. There were some contracts I wanted to go after that could bring in some large dollars for minimal effort. I hadn't begun to work on them yet and now seemed like a good time to start.

Glancing at the clock I saw it was just after noon so I walked down to the break room to see what Ella had left for us. I couldn't help but notice Steph's cubical was empty. It wasn't unheard of for her to go out for lunch, but I didn't think she'd been in today. My door had been open and I'd not heard her voice or the general noise on the floor that was usually humming when she was around. Maybe she decided to drop by Vinnie's today.

In the break room Cal and Woody were playing cards and I couldn't help but notice Cal took Woody's temporary distraction at my entering the room and snuck a quick glance at his cards giving him an unfair advantage. I couldn't fault him for it. We were all trained to take any opportunity to obtain a better position and some instincts are hard to deny.

"Gentlemen," I said by way of a friendly greeting.

"Boss," Cal said in return. I couldn't help but notice that his tone wasn't as friendly as it usually was. I thought he was probably still irritated that I left him to deal with an emotional Stephanie on his own. Most of the guys were at a complete loss about how to comfort a woman and because they all cared for her it was harder to see her upset.

"Did Steph call off today?" He asked.

"Not to me, but if she were going to, it would be probably be to Tank," I replied. When she began doing some work on the side with RangeMan I set it up so that she reported to Tank as her supervisor. That way I could never be accused of giving her unfair benefits. Of course ever since Steph said she loved his cats Tank had a real soft spot for her and would probably let her get away with anything.

"He hasn't heard from her either. Something's not right. I called Vinnie's and Lula said they hadn't heard from her since yesterday morning." He continued as though his words were making an obvious point.

"Why don't you two take a ride by her apartment," I suggested. "If she is there and just taking the day off then leave her alone."

"What if something's wrong?" This time Woody decided to push his luck.

"Then call me and we'll figure out what to do," I said losing all patience with this conversation.

"What if she's sick?" Woody pressed again.

"She's not sick," I replied a little too quickly. One of my biggest irritations with the guys leaving me at Steph's was that they put her at risk for contracting that virus. I had been to Columbia enough to know what the effects of the virus could be if someone came down with a full blown case and weren't in great physical shape to begin with.

"You were with her yesterday," I reminded them. "Did she seem tired or dizzy or out of sorts?"

Cal thought for a second and then smiled, "No, she was upset over the number of voicemails she'd gotten criticizing her life but other than that she was fine."

"Then go check on her, maybe offer to take her to lunch and see if there is a reason she's not here." I told them hoping they would take the hint and leave now. The longer we talked about it the more that uneasy feeling I'd battled last night grew.

They got up throwing their well worn cards down on the table and left. I grabbed a chicken salad sandwich and a bottle of water and went back to my office to wait to hear back from the guys. I shut my door to have a little privacy and ate quickly after sitting my phone on my desk top so that I could answer it quickly if the guys called.

Getting frustrated with the silence I pulled up the tracker on their SUV and saw they were pulling into her apartment. Checking my watch, they'd had more than enough time to get there so I assumed they swung by to pick up some food on the way. Most of the guys knew that having something to eat in your hand when you knocked on her door almost always guaranteed you entry.

I began to relax when my phone didn't ring assuming that meant she was fine and they were keeping her company. I shut down the tracker and pulled up the sales report I had intended to work on. Just as I prepared to type my phone rang.

Cal cut off my answer to inform me they were at her apartment and her car was in the lot with a cool hood but she wasn't answering her door or her phones even though they could hear both her house and cell phone ringing. "Do we go in anyway?"

If she was in there she would be furious at the guys for barging in and disturbing her peace. But if she was in some sort of trouble and needed our help I'd never forgive myself for failing her.

"Pick the lock and announce yourself at the door. If she doesn't reply then go in quietly to see what's going on. If she's sleeping then try to get out without waking her up." I instructed and began to silently pray that she was just catching up on the rest she missed while taking care of me.

I listened as Cal conveyed the instructions and then heard them call out to her when the pitiful lock gave way. I could hear nothing and strained to try and pick up on any sound that would assure me that she was alright.

"Shit!" I heard Woody yell from somewhere away from the phone.

"Boss, we got a problem," Cal finally said. "She's passed out cold on the floor of her kitchen."

Woody's voice interrupted but I couldn't understand what he was saying. Eventually Cal came back to the phone and passed along the information. "She's burning up and unconscious. Woody's taking her temperature but she's really white and clammy. It looks like the vaccine didn't have enough time to protect her before we dropped you off."

Woody's voice cut through the background, "It's a hundred and four degrees, we've got to get her out of these clothes and into the bath."

I threw the papers that were in my hand across the room. "Do whatever you can to take care of her and call me back if there is any change." I ordered as though he were reporting to me in a military operation.

"You're kidding me, right?" Cal countered. Jesus, the guys questioning everything I did regarding Stephanie really needed to stop at some point. "You're okay with us stripping her clothes off and putting her in the bathtub?"

I broke the pen in the other hand with the image of them seeing her body without clothes. I shook my head to clear the image and amended my order, "Leave her underwear on and keep your eyes and hands to yourself. She needs care and you are the closest ones to give it to her." After barking my orders I shut my phone and sat back hard against my chair.

I don't know how long I sat there lost in my thoughts but when the door to my office banged open and Tank and Lester stormed in I jumped up and instinctively put my hand on my gun. "What the hell is going on?" I asked them.

"We could ask you the same question," Lester bit out in return.

I waited for a minute and Tank spoke up, "Do you want to explain why Cal just called to let me know you were staying here while Stephanie was out with the virus she got from you."

I sat back down feeling the weight of her illness on me. "Someone needs to help her and they were there."

"But you're still here. Shouldn't you be running down the stairs and breaking the speed limit getting to her side?" Lester challenged.

"They can watch over her just as well as I could," I tried to explain.

"But what about who she would want to watch over her. We asked her to take care of you because we thought you'd be more comfortable with her. She trusts you, why aren't you there for her?" Lester replied not taking the hint that I didn't want to discuss this anymore.

"Because it complicates things for us to be together like that and I'm not sure it's a good thing to muddy the water anymore." I stated cryptically.

"That's the second time you've told me things with her are complicated and I'm not buying it anymore now than I did the last time," Tank began taking a step closer to me. "She dropped everything to take care of you, she took a couple of hits from your fists as though it were nothing and now she's being blackballed by her family and you're concerned about how taking care of her for a day or two would complicate your life?"

I had no response to his words. When he put it like that trying to keep the distance between us to protect her didn't seem like the right response at the moment.

"If you can't man up and get your ass to her apartment, then you need to drag it down to the mats because this blow to her might take away her will to fight to get better and if she suffers because of you then I'll damn well insure you suffer in return." Tank challenged raising his voice.

I took a minute to hear what he was saying. My first instinct to stand up and challenge him in return faded as quickly as it came. He was right. I had spent the last few years trying to meet all her needs from cars and jobs, to a shoulder to cry on. Now that she had a life or death situation I was being a shitty excuse for a friend because I was worried about how getting closer to her would make it harder for me to keep my heart uninvolved. There was really no decision here; I needed to get my ass to her apartment.

I didn't say a word as I stood up and stormed out of the office. I could tell Tank and Les were hot on my heels so when I unlocked the Porsche I turned back and said, "Can you guys get some food and supplies together for her like you did for me? Somebody can drop them off outside her apartment and I'll bring them in when she's sleeping."

I punched the accelerator as soon as I turned out of the garage onto Haywood. I was torn between my concern for Stephanie and my anger if I didn't get there in time to keep the guys from seeing her practically naked. I'd be damn lucky if Cal let me in her apartment. For the last two days he'd been riding my ass to be a friend to Stephanie and I had shot him down at every turn.

When I got to her apartment I jumped out and took the stairs two at a time. I let myself in her door making a mental note that at some point we really needed to discuss updating the kind of locks she had on her door.

I could hear the water running in the bathroom and swore that I was too late. Woody came out of her bedroom and saw me standing in the hall. "Man I'm glad you're here. When we started trying to loosen her clothes to let some cool air get to her skin she woke up and she's been fighting Cal like crazy. I don't think she knows who we are."

I followed Woody back to her bedroom and saw her arms flailing around as Cal tried to get to the hem of her t-shirt. She was amazingly feisty for someone who had just been unconscious on the floor. Cal was trying to talk to her but nothing he said was getting through.

My heart was broken at how she was suffering. I walked over and told Cal to step aside. His eyes narrowed at me and without warning his fist came up and connected with my jaw. I knew he hadn't put everything he had behind that punch because I was still standing but there was enough power in it to let me know he was pissed at me for how I'd treated Stephanie.

"You going to stay or are you just here to be sure we're following your orders?" He asked with no hint of fear of the retribution that might come to him for daring to hit me or question my directions. I had a new respect for him that I'd not had before. I knew him as a top notch soldier, but this was well above the call of duty.

"I'm here for the duration. She needs me and I'm going to stay by her side until she sends me away." I explained with my hand absentmindedly rubbing my jaw.

My words must have given him what he needed because he stepped back from the bed and allowed me to approach her. I vaguely remember him saying they would gather up the supplies I'd need and would be back with them later but my focus was on the woman in front of me instead of his words.

"Babe," I said placing my hand on her shoulder.

She stopped moving immediately. "Ranger?" She asked with a voice so small and fragile.

"I'm here Babe, and I'm not going anywhere until you're better." I explained. Then I proceeded to tell her how we needed to get her fever down and I needed to loosen her clothes to accomplish that.

Tears were falling down her cheeks as I took her shoes and socks off. "Why are you crying, Steph?" I asked as I continued to work at getting her belt undone.

"They were trying to get me and I tired to fight them but I was so tired." She told me as her voice broke with emotion.

Working the button on her jeans I asked, "Who was trying to get you?"

"The Castillio's. They knew I'd taken care of you and they were trying to hurt me to get to you." She explained freezing the blood in my veins.

My hands stopped working right away. How did she know about the Castillio's? Why would she think they would be after her for helping me? What did the guys tell her about my mission? I was torn between my confusion at what she might know and my anger that she knew anything at all. Who had disclosed this information to her? Right now she was my sole focus, but at some point I would get to the bottom of who had failed to keep the information classified.

Right now I needed to get these clothes off of her and get her in the tub of cool water. Hopefully she would let me do it and I would be able to handle seeing her naked and wet and defenseless.

_Stephanie's POV_

I was freezing and confused at the same time. I knew someone had been trying to hurt me and then Ranger came in and saved the day. I didn't see any of the fight but I definitely heard someone take a punch next to where I was laying.

Ranger promised me he was going to be with me and that I was safe, but I knew he was in danger too. The Castillio's were angry with him for killing Jorge and now they wanted revenge. They didn't get to me this time, but now that they knew we were together I was convinced they would return.

I felt terrible and when Ranger put me in the bathtub I was not prepared for the cold water that was there. He told me it was warm, but there is no way this water would be considered warm. At any moment I expected to feel ice cubes floating in the water.

"Babe, try to calm down. Let the water bring your temperature down and then I'll get you wrapped up and in bed." He kept a hand on the back of my neck. I'm not sure if he was trying to comfort me or keep me from drowning but I liked the way his hand felt against my skin.

Finally I heard the water begin to drain and once the level was down he lifted me from the tub and carried me back to the bedroom wrapped in a big towel that I was certain didn't come from my linen closet. I felt him take off my bra and panties and then put a t-shirt over my head. This was my favorite way to sleep and the tender way he was handling me told me there was nothing sexual going on.

He put me in the bed and pulled the covers up around my neck before placing a soft kiss on my forehead and whispering, "Go to sleep, Babe. I'll be beside you for as long as you need me." It felt surreal to have him with me when I needed him the most. I'd missed him over the last couple of days and having him here with me doing everything I wished he would do convinced me this was just a dream.

As long as I was dreaming I decided to try teasing him, "That's a long time, Batman," I told him.

"What do you mean?" He asked in return.

"I'll need for you forever," I admitted just as I lost my grip on consciousness again.

_Ranger's POV_

I swallowed hard when those words came out of her mouth. Complicated didn't begin to cover this. My first reaction was warmth in my chest that she needed me and she wanted me with her forever. Then I reminded myself that the whole reason she needed someone right now was because I got her sick in the first place. It was as if my whole existence had put her in danger. I would care for her to the best of my ability but once she was better we needed to have a talk so that I could remind her that I didn't do relationships because of the risk it was to anyone involved with me, her knowledge of the Castillio family was just one more piece of evidence that I was right on that account.

While she was sleeping the guys returned with more boxes like the ones still in her hallway from my time here. They dropped them off and wished me luck, promising they'd return if she needed anything. I thanked them for their help but was glad to lock the door behind them. I knew Stephanie wouldn't like the idea of the guys seeing her sick and I wanted them gone before she woke up in case she was still disoriented.

No sooner had the words passed through my mind than I heard her voice in the bedroom. When I stepped in she was thrashing about fighting with the covers. I called out to her but it only made her fight that much harder. I leaned over and felt her arms come into contact with my torso as I lifted the covers back and pulled her into my arms. I was amazed at just how strong she was in her condition. I'd never admit it, but those punches had some kick to them.

I whispered to her trying to get through the fog of her brain to let her know I was here and she was safe. She was burning up again and I was surprised that her fever was spiking again after only an hour had passed since her bath. I saw a bottle of liquid Advil and talked her into drinking some of it.

After she calmed down I tried to put her head back down on the pillow but she gripped me tighter. "Don't go," She mumbled as her hands groped for something to cling to.

I pushed my boots off with my toes and then climbed in bed beside her. I could remember the fog of confusion when I was sick and I could still feel her body spooned up against mine. I may not have been aware of where I was but I sure as hell knew she was with me. Hopefully she would understand the same thing. I pushed her over on her side and let her lean against the front of my body. The warmth from her fever negated the need for a blanket so I pushed it away from us. If I began to cool then that would mean her fever was going down and I'd be able to cover her up then.

For the next twelve hours I tried to help her as best I could. She woke nearly ever sixty minutes and was agitated to various degrees. The last time was the worst. Undoubtedly she was warmer than she had been so I knew her temperature was spiking. But this time instead of fighting she seemed to be slightly rocking herself and crying. There were very few tears coming from her eyes, which I recognized as a sign of dehydration but the pitiful sounds she made broke my heart.

She was hurting, there was nothing I could do to fix it and to top it all off she was in this state because of me. I began to apologize out of helplessness and she stopped moving. I waited thinking perhaps she had gone back to sleep but she started to mumble. I leaned in closer desperate to pick up any clue about what could be upsetting her enough to cry and then I heard her repeating the same phrase over and over again, "Ranger, please don't leave me."

That was easy enough to fix and in my confidence I assured her I wasn't going anywhere. Then she stiffened slightly and said, "And don't send me away. Please don't send me away."

"I promise, Babe, I'm not sending you anywhere and I'm not leaving you. As long as you're sick then I'll stay with you." I said thinking I had covered all my bases.

A sob came from her throat and I realized somehow I had managed to miss my mark completely. "What is it?" I asked confused.

"I don't want to get well," She said.

"Don't say that," I corrected her quickly. "You have to fight this Stephanie. You have to get better for me."

"What's the point of getting better if you'll disappear again when I'm well." She said driving the final spike into my heart. I didn't know what to say. She was right, I had every intention of seeing her through this and then trying to put the distance between us again. Maybe the fever was making her delusional about who I was.

I assumed she had fallen asleep so I whispered into her hair, "I never actually disappear Steph, I just step back so you're not affected by the danger in my life. I can't leave you, Babe."

Thinking my confession fell on deft ears, I was surprised when she responded, "I've got danger of my own; what I need is for you to love me too."

Her breathing evened out immediately giving me the confidence to reply, "I already do."

She settled down and I laid back pressing my hand over my eyes. I was tired even though I'd been in bed with Steph all day. My stomach was empty and I knew I needed to grab something to eat from the kitchen, but I was anxious about leaving her.

All of that paled in comparison to my real concern that I just admitted out loud that I loved her. I knew the words were true. I felt it in my gut as they came from my mouth. But what did that mean? Did she want me to love her as more than a friend? Did she understand that to be in my life meant giving up her freedom on so many levels?

But most importantly, did she understand that if I gave her my love freely the force of it might overwhelm us both?


	10. Calling for Help

_The usual applies…JE gets the credit, I get the fun on fanfic._

_Jenn (perfectmanhattan) thank you so much for your support and encouragement as the Beta on this story._

**Chapter 10 – Calling for Help**

Time seemed to move in a blur between trying to keep Stephanie stable when her temperature would spike and holding her so that she would rest more soundly in-between episodes. I managed to pull away a few times to grab a bite to eat for myself, but I always came back and either sat on the side of the bed or in the chair which had been my perch so often over the years.

I stood up and stretched checking my watch to see if I could get a measure of how long I had been with Stephanie in her apartment. It was just after seven meaning I had been here for a little over thirty-one hours. I hadn't seen much of a change in her symptoms which was discouraging. I walked around hoping the movement would settle my stiff muscles from being sedentary for so long.

Passing by her table I saw some papers spread out and a black RangeMan folder. I figured since it was a folder from my company I wasn't snooping by opening it up to see what she had at home from the office. Inside were printouts on the Black Fever virus and some notes that I knew were from Bobby on how to best care for someone with this condition. I quickly picked it up and began to skim through hoping there was something I could do to help Stephanie that I had been unaware of.

Everything here fit with what I knew except some of the potential side effects and complications. As if I weren't worried enough now I knew that she could suffer seizures, nose bleeds and nausea in the short term, and if her fever were allowed to stay high for too long or if it rose too quickly there could be permanent damage including muscle damage, partial paralysis, vertigo issues and infertility. I kept the folder in my hand and went back into Stephanie's room to check on her.

I put my hand on her face and could tell she was warmer than when I stood up a few minutes earlier. I pulled the sheet back and exposed her arms and legs to some air. Concerned that wasn't enough I went into her bathroom and got a basin filled with cool water and grabbed the washcloth hanging over her shower rod. Back in her room I used the wet cloth to rub over her face and neck. She had a thin layer of perspiration on her skin and I hoped this would make her more comfortable and cool her off.

Knowing the points on a body that lose the most heat were the head, the groin and under the arms I thought I could probably cool her off quicker if I pulled her shirt up and wiped her torso down as well. I put a hand on the bottom of her shirt and then paused. I knew she didn't have on panties because I'd pulled them off myself and not replaced them when I put her to bed.

Being stuck in my head as I debated over what to do with her shirt caused me to miss it when she began to stir. It wasn't until her hand landed on top of mine that I realized she was beginning to struggle. "What do you need, Steph?" I asked her hoping she would name something and I could provide it for her.

"Ranger?" She asked as though she were unsure I were really there.

"That's right, Babe, I'm here." I assured her. Realizing where my hand was I felt the need to explain. "Your fever was rising so I was trying to cool you down with a cool wash cloth. I wasn't sure if you wanted to pull up your shirt and let a little more cool air get to your skin or not."

Her head went back and forth as if saying no. "Don't," she finally added.

"Why not, I think it will make you feel better." I advised her.

"You don't want…" She started but her voice became so soft I couldn't understand what came next. I had no response because I wasn't sure what she was objecting to. After a moment she drew in a deep breath and said, "I love you but I'm not good enough for you. It will hurt too much when you leave again." After a few shaky breaths it seemed to even out and she said nothing else on the subject.

Of course even if she had continued to talk, I'm not sure that I would have heard it. After hearing her say she loved me but she didn't think she was good enough for me it was hard to keep listening. It amazed me how she had the tables turned on the two of us. Was it possible? Could she really want me?

I stood up and shook my head looking down on her still frail looking body in the bed; the white sheets only making her skin even more pale than usual. The way the light came up through her dark curls made it look as though she were glowing. Truly, this was as close as I would ever come to an angel.

I knelt down beside her at the edge of the bed to look at her closer while she rested. I smiled when I remembered the last time I'd knelt like this at the side of a bed. It was at Abuela Rosa's house when she made me say my nighttime prayers. The more I learned about Steph, the more she reminded me of my grandmother. Both of them were stubborn, tough as nails, and had hearts big enough to love the world with no expectation of repayment.

I looked at the nightstand and picked up the electronic thermometer to check on Steph. Relief came over me when it beeped and showed she was resting at only a hundred and two degrees. It was a definite improvement. Thinking she might be stable for an hour now I stood up, grabbed my cell phone and walked into the living room.

My fingers dialed a number ingrained in my memory that I rarely used anymore. I switched to my native Spanish when she answered the phone. _"__Hola.__"_

"Carlito?" She asked, clearly having trouble believing I would call. I hadn't considered the guilt that would come along with this phone conversation.

"Si Abuela, It's me." I assured her.

"What is wrong?" Again, she assumed I would only call her if something had happened. It never crossed her mind I would just check on her; probably because I had never done it.

"Nothing is wrong; at least not with me." I told her remembering there was no point in trying to lie to her. She was a walking lie detector that never let me get away with even the smallest stretch of the truth.

"Tell me what has you upset. How can I help you?" That was her, always giving.

"You've heard about Stephanie Plum?" I wondered. I knew the Lester had told my parents about her, and I doubted they'd been able to keep that to themselves.

"_Yes_, I hear she is a strong woman, perfect for you in every way but you refuse to love her," There was an edge to her voice as though she did not approve of my actions.

"It's complicated Abuela," I blurted out briefly forgetting who I was talking to.

"Nonsense, this problem is of your making. She loves you and you love her. That is simple." She corrected me.

"But Stephanie is a good woman. She deserves so much from life. If I brought her into mine fully it would take away her freedom. It would endanger her." I tried to explain.

"She loves you already so her heart is not free to love another. Now she has lost her freedom but instead of having love to fill that hole she has only pain because you reject her." Abuela wisely pointed out.

"But what about the danger? How could I go on if something happened to her because of me?" I wondered, not really expecting she would have an answer for me.

"From what I have heard her life has danger of its own," Apparently she'd been talking directly to Lester. My cousin needed to learn to keep his mouth shut. "Most people that know you think of her as yours because it is obvious what you share. Any danger that would come from knowing you is already there."

I had put the word out that she was under my protection. I knew the street considered her my woman and I always felt a certain amount of confidence that I was taking care of her by using my name. I hadn't considered that by covering her with my name for protection it was also advertising her presence to my enemies. Just because we had no official status didn't mean my opponents would leave her alone. Shit, now what?

"Language, Carlos." She corrected me quickly reducing me to a twelve year old boy on the receiving end of one of her lectures. Apparently my confinement with Stephanie had caused me to pick up her bad habit of thinking aloud.

"What do I do?" I asked, hoping she would offer the wise advice that had saved me so many times as I grew up.

"Do you love her?" She asked in return.

"Yes, with all that I am," I replied seeing no reason to withhold the truth.

"Does she love you?" She pushed.

"Yes, _I think so,_" I answered believing Stephanie's words were from her heart. Her actions had certainly backed them up.

"Then you know what to do, why are you calling me?" That was not the help I was hoping for.

"How? How do I let her in?" I clarified what I needed her help with.

"Honestly, I don't know where I went so wrong with you. You open your mouth and let your heart talk. Quit trying to analyze everything for possible problems. Speak to her and listen when she speaks in return. Then be sure that everyday you let your actions prove to her that what your heart has said is true." She advised.

"I'm not good with words." I reminded her.

"No, but when it is important, you always come through. Don't make this difficult. Everything you need to say is inside you, you just need to let it out." She reminded me. "Oh, and feed her some soup," She interrupted her own advice to add.

"What?" I asked curious what soup had to do with love.

"I understand she has the flu and if she is resting a lot she is losing her strength. You can probably get her to eat some soup when she is awake. It will help her to get stronger to get better quicker. Once she is better then you can tell her how you feel. I fear if you do not care for her well enough too much time will pass while she heals and you will come up with an excuse to keep hiding." She slipped back into the lecture.

I hadn't thought about feeding her, but in the back of my mind I remembered her giving me Ella's soup. It probably did help. Bobby said she hadn't eaten when he sent her home so it had probably been two days since she'd had any nourishment. No wonder her body was struggling to fight through this.

"Gracias," I finally said realizing I was being quiet for too long.

"It is nothing, I love to speak to you and it gives me great joy to think you may finally let her in your life. I will expect to see her when I am in Trenton at Christmas." She said effectively telling me I had better get this right because if Steph wasn't at my parent's house at some point over the holiday it would mean I had chickened out or managed to screw it up. Maybe calling her wasn't such a bright idea.

We got off the phone and I looked in the fridge to see if the guys brought over anything that I could feed to Stephanie when she woke up next. There was chocolate pudding which made me laugh. Only Ella would think of sending dessert for Stephanie. But it is a major staple in her diet so I guess it wasn't that far off the mark as a necessity for getting her back to full health again.

I did have my standards though, and I refused to feed her dessert as her first food while she was sick. When I moved the container a post-it note fell off. Picking it up I had to laugh at Ella's handwriting which said, "It's made with milk. She'll need calcium."

What the hell, I thought pulling the glass out of the refrigerator and pulling off the saran wrap cover with one hand while grabbing a spoon from the dish drain with the other.

Back in the bedroom I was pleased to see her still sleeping in the same position I left her in. As I got closer her head turned to face me, but her eyes did not open. I knew that she sensed my presence just as I did hers. Gently, I sat on the edge of the bed beside her and called her name.

She made a humming noise in response telling me she was at least partially awake. "Open your mouth, Steph," I told her. "I have something for you to eat."

"No salad," She complained in a muffled voice.

I couldn't stop the laugh that came at her response. "No salad, I promise."

Her mouth opened slightly so I put a very small amount on the spoon and slid it between her lips. Her tongue came out after she swallowed licking her lips just as another soft moan came. "Ella?" she clarified.

"That's right Babe, Ella told me to give this to you because it had milk in it and you need some calcium." I confessed, electing to leave out the part where I wasn't going to give it to her until I saw the note.

I continued to feed her until the spoon hit the glass at the bottom. "Better?" I asked after informing her it was all gone.

She nodded and I smiled convinced that her movement seemed to have a little more energy to it after she ate something. "Would you like some soup?" I offered.

"Not now. Maybe later," She replied in a voice that was definitely stronger than before. I told her to rest some more and she agreed with her breath evening out in slumber almost as soon as I suggested it.

"Sleep well Babe," I whispered quietly to her. Then I added "I love you," even softer before kissing her curls. Maybe Abuela Rosa was right, and I just needed to open my mouth. What to say would take care of itself...hopefully.

Stephanie's POV

My head hurt. More than that, it pounded. I'd never had a hangover that could compete with this kind of pain. If I moved even a little it seemed to set everything off and the agony was too much.

I wondered if Ranger was still there. He'd promised to stay with me as long as I needed him. At least I think he did, I might have dreamed it. The condition I was in definitely meant he was needed so I hoped it was true. No sooner had I thought it than the sensation unique to his presence came over my body. Instinctually I turned in the direction I thought he was standing in and waited.

He wanted me to eat something but the thought of eating twigs and bark was so unappealing right now I wasn't sure I could manage it. Still, I didn't want to disappoint him so I opened my mouth like he asked and allowed him to put something cool and soft on my tongue.

I couldn't help the moan that escaped when I realized it was chocolate pudding. There was no way I would have guessed he would feed that too me when I was sick. He confirmed my suspicion that it was from Ella which only made me love it all the more. I couldn't help but then think of my own mother who was so strikingly different from Ella, she had neither the ability to nurture or love people unconditionally. I wish she could take a few pointers from Ella.

I heard the spoon scrape the glass and I knew my treat was over. Ranger offered me soup but I didn't want anything to take the taste out of my mouth right now. I heard a whisper as I went to sleep again with the sweet taste of chocolate and love in my mouth. Even if Ranger loving me was only a dream, it was a good one, and I wasn't ready to let it go yet.

Ranger's POV

After Stephanie went back to sleep I watched her for a few minutes to convince myself that she was really out. Satisfied she wouldn't wake up any time soon I went back out to the main room and picked up my cell phone to check in with Tank.

"Is she okay?" He asked not bothering to answer with a greeting of any sort.

"She's sleeping," I responded not sure if that was the answer he was looking for.

"You are taking care of her, aren't you?" Tank pushed.

"Of course I am; how are things there?" I asked hoping to change the subject before he started to lecture me on how to take care of Stephanie.

"Usual. Cal's been coming by every couple of hours to see if I've heard from you. I've been holding him off from checking up on her, but he's worried that you might not be doing everything she needs." Unbelievable, even when I step up to do the right thing I still get hit with interfering men.

"There used to be a time the men feared me too much to say things like that," I noted aloud.

"That was before you introduced us to a little white girl from the Burg. This is all your fault so you may as well accept that and learn to deal with it." He advised.

I knew there was truth in his words even though I didn't like it. "Tell him she's holding her own. Her fever comes and goes, but it hasn't broken yet. I did get her to eat something that Ella sent over so maybe the food will give her the strength she needs to keep fighting." Hopefully that would shut them up for a while.

"You think she'll pull through alright?" He asked sounding concerned.

"I hope so." I replied quickly. "I need her to."

A moment passed where neither of said anything and I wondered if my answer had said too much.

"Glad to hear it, man. Call me if you need anything. I can send Cal over, he'd be glad to help out in some way." Tank finally said confirming he had understood everything my confession meant.

It also steeled my resolve to be sure I did everything possible to care for her. Something in his mention of Cal coming over made me want to punch him, but not in retaliation for the cheap shot he took in Steph's room. Suddenly, I didn't want Cal anywhere near my Babe.

I hung up and went back to the bedroom to continue my bedside vigil in the chair in the corner. Sitting there in the darkened room I thought over how many times I had snuck in her apartment at night just to watch her sleep. When I had a takedown go wrong, before a mission or when I struggled with a decision I would naturally gravitate to her side. Not only did I feel better when I was near her, but my mind would clear and decisions seemed easier to make. I always thought it was odd that she didn't need to be awake for me to get the benefit of being with her.

I often wondered what it would be like if I talked to her instead of silently sitting in the corner mulling over things in my head. Despite the history I shared with the guys I still felt that she was the closest friend I had. There was no doubt about her loyalty; as she had proven herself repeatedly. But it went deeper than that. She was the first person that seemed interested in knowing not only what I was doing, but why. The guys accepted my actions, my commands and my plans without question. But Steph always wanted to know why. In some ways it was like seeing the world with a child. Her innocence that believed the best of everyone was the same trait that made her try to drag information from me. Although I often led her to believe it bothered me, and I didn't always explain it to her, I still found it one of her more endearing qualities. She didn't seem to fear me at all, and yet I still felt that she respected me.

Hell, maybe Abuela Rosa was right and it could be simple. I just needed to open my mouth and tell her how I felt. The question that remained was would she believe me? I had said a lot of stupid things to keep her at bay. I needed her near me but I didn't want her close enough to develop feelings for me. Seeing how well that turned out made me question what my words had accomplished.

She moved slightly, but didn't appear to be waking. I felt her head and she was burning up again. A thin layer of sweat was beginning to form making her feel clammy. Her skin was going pale all over, right in front of my eyes and I started to panic. While I was lost in my thoughts she was taking a nose dive for the worse and I missed it.

I ran in the bathroom and turned on the tub filling it with warm water. Then I ran back to her bedroom and lifted her from the covers, shirt and all and brought her to the partially filled tub before putting her in the water. She hissed as though the temperature were uncomfortable. I was sure against her hot skin the water must feel cold, but I couldn't risk the slow relief of a cloth and basin. This spike needed immediate attention.

Her arms and legs were fidgeting and her discomfort was obvious. Unsure of what to do I quickly pulled off my pants and shirt and climbed in the tub with her. The water seemed fine to me, just a little on the cool side like a swimming pool, so I knew it was alright for her to be in it. As soon as I pulled her to my chest so that she was leaning on me instead of the back of the tub she calmed down.

Once the water level was high enough I shut it off and used my hands to rub her arms under the water. I knew it wasn't doing anything for her, but it made me feel better to touch her; to assure myself that she was okay.

Sitting in the bath with only the occasional water dripping into the tub to break the silence made me aware of how strange it was to be with Stephanie and to have it quiet like this. It was unnerving and I began to pray that God would bring her through this illness and back to me. If he would just give me the chance I would tell her how I felt. I would show her that despite the stupid walls I'd built that I wanted the opportunity to love her with all that was in me. If God would bring her back to health then I would see to it she never had to wonder how I felt again. I'd gladly devote my life to showing her how deeply I felt for her.

I rested my head on the cool tile behind me and shut my eyes continuing to run my hands over her shoulders and arms. All the while we sat in the water I bargained with God offering all that I had for the chance to show her how I felt; for the chance to see what it would feel like to stop fighting the passion between us and give into it instead. I found myself cursing that I had wasted so many opportunities to tell her and thought how different it would be right now if she knew how I felt.

As I struggled with the questions and my fear of the virus claiming her as it did so many people in Central America I almost missed the small voice that said my name.

"Ranger?"

My head snapped up and I looked at her. She had turned her head upward slightly and was struggling to open her eyes.

Not wanting the light in the room to hurt her I spoke to assure her. "Babe," I couldn't help the way my voice cracked at the end. I told myself it was the fact I hadn't spoken much over the last two days, but in reality it was pure relief that she was conscious again.

"I'm right here Babe." I tried once more to comfort her.

"Was I dreaming?" She asked abandoning her attempt to open her eyes. I remembered the feeling that my head was going to explode from the pain and couldn't blame her for not wanting to make that worse by straining her eyes.

"Dreaming about what?" I wondered unable to take my eyes off of her beautiful face. The fever had made her cheeks rosy and it reminded me of how stunning she looked when she blushed anytime I made a sexual remark to her. I found myself pushing the envelope of proper behavior just to get a response like that.

It was my turn to blush though when she replied. "I thought you said you loved me and wondered if it was just a dream."

Gulp!


	11. The Fog Begins to Clear

_The characters below are not mine. Thanks to JE for creating such wonderful people for me to play with._

_Usually I thank my beta Jenn (perfectmanhattan). However, I got a little anxious to post this update after nearly a week of silence so this one has all the mistakes and poorly worded sentences her careful eye would usually catch and remove. Hopefully she will resume her vital work on the next update._

**Chapter 11 – The Fog Begins to Clear**

_Ranger's POV_

I paused for a minute before responding, wishing I could find the right words to explain how I felt without scaring her. I had assumed I would have more time to figure it out.

"S'ok, I knew it was a dream," She slurred while relaxing her neck once more.

"No, Babe," I quickly responded cursing that I had allowed so much silence to pass. "It was no dream."

She didn't react making me think she had fallen asleep once more. The strain of the virus on her system must be more than she could bear and the brief periods of consciousness was really all I should expect.

She pulled me from my thoughts once more by asking, "Pity?"

It seemed that it was intended to be a question so I asked, "What do you mean?"

"You feel sorry for me because I'm sick," she explained.

I moved my hand to touch her cheek, pleased that it was definitely cooler than when I first put her in the tub. "I am sorry that you're sick, especially because you got it from me, but I didn't tell you I loved you out of pity."

There were no other questions so I kept us in the tub until the water began to feel cool to me. Reluctantly I got out and pulled her out of the water as well. Her shirt had to go as it was soaked and would begin to make her too cool. I laid her on the side of the bed that never seemed to be used and toweled her off slowly trying to limit the amount of movement to her body. I could remember the way my muscles ached and didn't want to make her feel any worse than she undoubtedly already did.

When I finished I picked up my t-shirt from the floor and turned it right side out to put on her. Unsure if I might need to put her back in the tub I didn't want to bother putting a full outfit on her. Well, that and I liked the look of her in my shirt and nothing else.

Before I pulled it over her head I took a moment to look at her. I knew it was wrong to take advantage of her while she was out of it but she was so beautiful I couldn't tear my eyes away. Her body was perfect to me. The gentle curve around her hips that dipped in at her waist and then swelled once more at her chest. I know she felt she could loose a few pounds but I loved the softness of her body and the beauty of the natural look of her skin.

She sighed which brought me back to reality and I quickly put the shirt over her head and tucked her back into bed. Assuming she would be out for a while I stepped back into the kitchen to stretch my muscles and grab a bite to eat.

_Stephanie's POV_

Damn! I knew I was hot and assumed my fever was rising, but I didn't understand why Ranger felt the need to put me in ice water. It made my skin feel like it was both frozen and on fire at the same time. I tried moving to see if I could get some relief but nothing was calming down the way it felt.

The next thing I knew I was being moved and it felt as though Ranger was crawling in behind me. As soon as his hands came around my sides and began to stroke my arms I knew it was him. He leaned me against his chest and I finally found the support I needed to be comfortable. Plus the heat from his body made me feel warmer so that I could handle the harsh feel of the cold water.

I called his name to be sure it was him. I couldn't imagine a bad guy taking the time to care for me in tub, but I was still relieved to know who it was. I hadn't been dreaming about him being with me. Of course, it made me wonder if all my memories were right as well or had I dreamed Ranger telling me he loved me.

When he asked what had been a dream and I told him the idea that he loved me, he said nothing. I could tell from the way his body began to tightening behind mine that he was tensing up which meant I had definitely dreamed it and he most certainly did not say it.

Finally he spoke and told me it had not been a dream but he didn't clarify what it was. I couldn't take the silence anymore and asked if he only said it because he felt sorry for me. Was it just pity that made him say things to give me hope?

He spoke quickly and his voice was crystal clear as he told me he was sorry that I was sick but he assured me he didn't tell me he loved me out of pity. I waited but he said nothing else.

My mind was reeling but I didn't have the energy to ask why he said it. I tried to keep my heart from hoping. I was beginning to think I would get over the virus but I was also quite sure that him sending me away or pulling back from me once more would do the damage the illness did not.

I slipped back into sleep trying to keep my heart from believing what I wanted it to mean instead of what he probably intended. The next time I was aware I was freezing and had a feeling that I was being watched. It didn't feel creepy or unnerving and the sheets under my body were soft and warm so I settled into the bed and sighed.

No sooner had I made the sound than I felt a warm shirt that smelled distinctly of Ranger. It felt soft and being surrounded by the shirt I knew had been on his body was comforting. Relaxing into his arms when he lifted me and placed me back on the pillow, I decided not to worry about our relationship, or lack thereof, right now. I felt loved so I settled into sleep reveling in that feeling.

_Ranger's POV_

I stepped out of Stephanie's bedroom and into her living room suddenly feeling the need for some physical activity. I can't believe I was so distracted by her lying in front of me naked that I was virtually taking advantage of her. There was a time when everything in my life was ordered and controlled. I set the rules and no one dared question or break them, including me.

I guess I can trace the crumbling of that order back to the day I got a call from Connie asking if I could do her a favor. Ever since I met Stephanie my world stopped revolving around order and began to revolve around her. I tried forcing my rules on to her and that was a complete failure. I needed to figure out what role she was going to play in my life before she woke up. If she was asking questions still in and out of consciousness, when she woke up completely there would be no stopping her.

I knew that I loved her, and I was beginning to believe that she might love me, but what would a relationship with Stephanie look like. How could I balance her safety with my desire to see her living a life free from the control she has gotten from her family and friends in the past? I had a lot of enemies and if they knew of Stephanie's place in my life she would be at the top of several lists to claim revenge against me.

Of course I lived a fairly simple life and didn't conduct my every move out of fear that an enemy would be waiting for me at Pino's, so why did I naturally assume she would be in more danger than I was?

Scrog. So many of my questions could be answered with that one word. The day he targeted Stephanie because of her relationship with me was the day that I began to build walls between us to protect her from that happening again. At the time she was with Morelli publically so the status of our true relationship didn't offer her any real protection.

When I'd assigned a man to her in the past she tolerated it at best and found a way to escape from their protection in most cases. Although it was humorous to have the details of her humiliating my men as ammunition for required training after the danger had been resolved, while she was MIA I was terrified.

That's what it boiled down to. I had always claimed having a relationship put her at too much risk, but in thinking it through I wasn't sure that was true. I'd told myself that my enemies would target her or that she would love me only to have a group arrive at her door one day with a letter from the government and a flag as tokens of their appreciation for the sacrifice of my life. I couldn't do that to her.

In looking at it now, I was more afraid of getting the call on my own phone to come down to the hospital to identify her pale body and having the thing I cling to the tightest ripped from my grip. Could I bear losing her if we had a relationship? If the last few days had proven anything it was that I couldn't imagine my life without her in it. We had a relationship already, I was just arguing semantics.

I stretched my arms over my head and then walked back into her bedroom, not wanting to be away from her for too long. She was lying on her side facing the door in the middle of the bed. I crept over to her and put my hand on her brow, smiling when it felt only marginally warmer than my fingers.

Unable to resist, I joined her in the bed and put my arm around her pulling her slowly to me so that the space between us was erased. I shut my eyes and took a deep breath catching the scent of her shampoo. I smiled at the memory of her washing my hair and then running her fingers through it on her sofa.

"What's that smile for?" A small voice asked making my eyes snap open.

"Babe," I said hoping she understood that meant I was glad to see her awake.

Her eyes blinked a few more times telling me it was a struggle for her to keep them open. "I'm glad to see that you're feeling better," I told her. "You should rest some more."

"I will," she said continuing to struggle with her eyes. "I just needed to be sure you were real."

"I'm real, and I'm not going anywhere," I promised her pulling her even closer to me. I was tempted to try convincing her to sleep some more, but then my conscience kicked in and I asked if she was hungry instead. She made an endearing sound which I assumed meant yes.

Holding to my pledge that the pudding I gave her the last time was a one-shot event I pulled out some chicken soup that Ella had thickened. Heating only enough to take the chill off I carried the bowl into the bedroom and found her struggling to sit up against the pillows. Each time she pushed up on her elbows, she would collapse back down and grimace.

I put the bowl down quickly, spilling some in my haste to get to her faster. "Let me help," I told her pulling up a couple of pillows first and then pulling her up on the bed to lean against them. She was no where near sitting up, but she wasn't flat on her back either which would make eating that much easier.

I retrieved the soup and brought it over to her lifting the spoon to her lips. She took a bite and smiled slightly before saying, "I can do it," and lifting her hand marginally.

"I know you can, Babe, but let me do this for you." I instructed lifting the spoon to her mouth once more. It was a selfish act. I wanted to take care of her because it allowed me to believe my presence in her life right now was filling a real need.

She was quiet as she ate and I was pleased that half the soup disappeared before she shook her head that she'd had enough. I would have preferred that she ate more, but I was pleased with the start.

"Do you want to sleep a little more?" I asked, ready to reposition her back down on the bed.

"No," she responded quietly. Before I could ask what she needed she spoke once more, "I'd love a shower though. I think I'd feel better if I could wash my hair and soap up."

"Can you stand?" I asked wondering if a shower were possible.

She nodded and began to try and move to the edge of the bed. It became obvious very quickly that she didn't have the strength to stay up even if she managed to stand. I interrupted her effort by picking her up and carrying her to the bathroom. She didn't object but the expression on her face told me that she was confused.

"I think you're going to have to settle for a bath until your legs are under you a little better. But I can help you so that you can feel human again." I told her sitting on the edge of the tub and cradling her in my lap as I turned the water on and adjusted the temperature. I placed her in the tub once the water level was half way finished and then sat on the floor beside her to keep an eye on her.

"You don't have to stay. I know you have things to do," She said giving me an opportunity to escape my care giving duties.

"I'm not going anywhere," I replied.

She turned to face me and I was struck at how tired she looked. I was hit with a fresh wave of guilt at having put her in this position. Reaching out I let my left hand lightly touch the bruise on her cheek. It was beginning to fade, but the purple and black that remained was still evidence of my lack of control.

"Don't," She said causing me to pull my hand back uncertain if my light touch had caused her pain.

"No," She said trying to clarify. "Don't blame yourself for me being sick. I should have been better about keeping a distance from you while you were sleeping and washing my hands after caring for you. I was just too worried about you to remember the details of watching out for myself as well. I'm to blame for getting sick, not you."

Amazing, even as badly as she felt she was still defending me. Not that this surprised me from her. She always seemed to put other people ahead of herself.

I let her enjoy the warm water for a few minutes and then I grabbed the shower gel that was from my apartment and lathered up a washcloth as I moved to sit back on the edge of the tub. She didn't say a word as I picked up the arm nearest me and gently ran the soapy cloth up and down. Repeating the movement on the other side I then moved to her long neck and across both collarbones and down her chest. Her eyes closed and she let out an occasional sound of contentment which was music to my ears.

When I completed the journey by touching all ten of her toes which were currently sporting a bright pink polish I put the cloth on the side of the tub and then let out some of the water. As soon as she heard the drain her eyes shot open letting me know she hadn't been asleep. I grabbed the shower nozzle, suppressing a smile at the size and power of her shower massager, ready to wash her hair. I wanted to see if I could give her even a portion of the pleasure she had given me by doing this same thing.

_Stephanie's POV_

Ranger had a mischievous smile on his face that he was trying to hide behind a partial blank face. I knew he was thinking about something but I was too tired to ask what it was. I trusted that he wouldn't do anything to hurt me so I stayed still and waited.

When he stretched my shower head down to me and began to wet my hair I felt the smile come across my face. I loved having my hair washed and something told me Ranger was going to be particularly thorough.

Sure enough, after he had wet it completely he began to work the shampoo through the mass of tangles that had to be my hair. Patiently he worked his fingers from the top of my hair to the tips and then returned to massage my scalp. When I was little, my mother would scrub my hair claiming I didn't clean it well enough and that was why I had so many tangles. It was an exercise that had to be endured as she scrubbed roughly down to my scalp holding me in a partial headlock while scratching my skin with her nails in an attempt to show me how I should be washing it. Very early I learned to hate having someone else wash my hair.

I had gotten over that aversion with Mr. Alexander at the mall. He was efficient, but it never hurt so I had learned to relax when he pushed the back of the chair down to rest my neck on the edge of his sink. But neither of those experiences could prepare me for the sensation of Ranger touching my hair. He always claimed to like my curls and the tender way he was working the bubbles in my hair now proved his words were true.

It was almost erotic and I was convinced if I felt only slightly better I would be completely turned on by it. As it was I was moaning and making sounds that I had no ability to control. By the time he rinsed my hair I knew I couldn't stand to get out of the tub. It had nothing to do with the virus, the sensual touching from him had reduced me to a muscleless mass and fighting that was pointless.

After the water drained he finished rinsing me off before saying, "I think when you're better and are up for a day out of the apartment I'm going to have Louis come over and get that new hot water heater installed."

"I always knew you were a god among men," I teased loving that he considered the size of my hot water tank something that needed to addressed. When I'd complained about it at home my mom told me to just scrub faster and take shorter showers. Right, like getting clean was the issue I had with the short amount of time I could spend in the shower before it began to get cold.

"I like the sound of that," He replied before reminding me, "But I'm really just a man."

Ranger lifted me from the tub and sat on the toilet seat with me on his legs. "I'm getting you all wet," I commented feeling bad about that fact and moving in his lap from embarrassment.

He shifted slightly and cleared his throat before saying, "It's alright, the guys brought me some extra clothes so I'll change once I get you back in bed."

I knew I should try to stay awake for a while, but as soon as he mentioned bed all I could think about was being tucked in those silky sheets so I let him finish drying me and then carry me back to the bedroom. "Pajamas or another t-shirt?" He asked giving me some say in my clothing.

Briefly I was torn, not sure what I should say. I assume I waited a little too long because before I could get an answer to come out he had picked up another of the limitless supply of black t-shirts and slipped it over my hair. When I glanced at him he had a grimace on his face and I asked what was wrong.

"You can't go to sleep with your hair like that." He replied making me wonder how terrible it looked after he dried it some with a towel.

He moved me so that I was lying on my stomach across the bed and then stepped into the bathroom briefly. I heard the medicine cabinet open and shut and then the drawers of the vanity begin to bang before he returned with a wide toothed comb in his hand. "You don't have to do that," I said reaching out with my arm which had to weigh at least two hundred pounds all of a sudden.

"It's not about what I have to do, Babe. I want to do this," He told me before adding, "Now relax."

I shut my eyes tightly and felt my muscles tense up as well. I hated having my hair combed out. The tangles pulled and I usually ended up with a major headache when someone else did it because they just continued to pull when the comb would snag. I don't know why I thought Ranger would treat my hair like everyone else. He began at the bottom of the hair slowing pulling the comb through it holding the hair higher than he was working to keep it from pulling against my scalp. It felt heavenly. I had never had anyone, much less a large muscular tough man treat me as tenderly as Ranger was at this moment. I had to remind myself not to cry, but a few tears slipped out anyway.

_Ranger's POV_

I had never combed hair like Stephanie's before. I didn't want to hurt her so I tried to hold it higher than I was working so I could get the knots out without hurting her. I must have failed because tears fell across her cheeks after I'd been working only a few moments. Her body was tense and her eyes were tightly shut.

I stopped to wipe the tears away from the cheek closest to me. "Don't cry, Babe. I can stop if I'm hurting you."

The speed with which she lifted her head and spun around surprised me. I knew she was exhausted and worn down so movement like that was purely instinctual. "Please don't stop." She said quickly. Then calming slightly she continued, "It's just that I've never had someone comb my hair without hurting me but when you do it the way it feels is…"

She stopped and her forehead wrinkled slightly as though she couldn't find the word she needed but she was searching for it anyway. I decided to help her out and I gently pushed her back down on the bed so that I could work some more.

"I understand," I assured her. "When I was young my Abuela used to run her fingers through my hair. It wasn't until you did the same thing for me that I remembered how much I liked it."

The smile that came over her face told me she liked hearing about me so I took a chance and said a little more. "You remind me a great deal of her. She is a strong woman. The fact that she is just a little of five feet tall doesn't keep her from being a formidable presence and I'm pretty sure every man that knows her both loves and fears her slightly. And much like you, she has the ability to love everyone."

Stephanie's lips parted and her smile grew even larger. I could feel her relaxing and the tension that had been in her shoulders was quickly disappearing as well. By the time I finished telling her a few stories about my childhood in Miami I was finished with her hair so I sat the comb on the nightstand and ran my fingers through her now only slightly damp locks. The curls were beginning to bounce a little as the weight of the water on her hair disappeared. I heard her sigh once more and I couldn't help myself as I leaned down and placed a kiss on the back of her head.

"Come on Babe, it's time to get you tucked in." I told her before I turn her so that her head was on a pillow. I pulled the covers up to keep her from getting cold and then I went back to the bathroom to prepare myself for bed.

I pulled off my pants and shirt, both of which were still wet and threw them in the hamper in the closet. Pulling out the single pair of black boxers she had for me here I slipped them on and then climbed in bed behind her.

I could tell from the sound of her breathing that she was already dozing so I pulled her to me and held her in my arms. I wasn't quite ready to sleep so I took the opportunity to hold her and thank God that she seemed to be getting better. Hopefully tomorrow she would be able to go out into the living room and begin to move some on her own. As much as I loved carrying her, I knew she needed her independence and would feel much better once was in control a little more.

I shut my eyes and thought about my conversation with Abuela and the reaction from Stephanie as I cared for her. Thinking of the way she moved in my lap after her bath caused me to have to adjust the boxers which were struggling to contain my current reaction to the memory of her wet, naked and spread across my legs. I took a deep breath trying to rein in my body's response before it went too far.

If she seemed stronger tomorrow I hoped we could talk. Who was I kidding? This was Stephanie, of course there would be talking. What I wanted was to get a feel for what she wanted from the future. Could she handle a relationship with me that included bodyguards, carrying a gun and the possibility that I might be called away with very little notice and no guarantee that I would ever return.

If she could handle those things then I would try to find the words to tell her how I feel and what I want for us. If she would have me I would tell her how I loved her so completely and passionately that I was sure she was directly tied to my ability to survive. And if she could return my love I was convinced that what we would share would last forever.


	12. Opening Your Mouth

_JE created the characters below. They are from her creative genius, not mine._

_Jenn (perfectmanhattan) you're back! Thank you for taking time form your holiday schedule and technical difficulties to beta this chapter._

_**Chapter 12 – Opening Your Mouth**_

_Stephanie's POV_

I woke up disoriented. I couldn't move which scared me at first. My head still hurt so I didn't want to open my eyes and make it any worse. My first thought was to fight to get out from under whatever the weight was over my arms and body. I took a deep breath trying to keep the panic down and instantly smelled Ranger. Knowing he was beside me squelched any panic I had about not being able to move. Of course, it also explained why I couldn't roll over because the weight pressing on me was his arm holding my back firmly against his body. I couldn't help but smile at the thought that there were definitely worse ways to wake up.

"You may as well wake up now. I've already seen you smile," Came Ranger's rumbled sexy voice made deeper and more hoarse from sleep.

"I'm not sure I want to wake up," I said pretending to want more sleep.

"If it's motivation to stop sleeping that you need, I'm pretty sure I can help with that," He said softly pushing my hair to the side and placing a series of kisses on my neck causing me to shiver. He pulled away from me slightly and chuckled deep in his chest.

I rolled onto my stomach when his arm released me. My eyes seemed to be working so I opened them and blinked until focus was possible. Once I had my vision back I looked to my right and saw the most handsome face.

I was suddenly aware of how much time Ranger had sacrificed over who knows how long I had been out of it while I was sick. I could feel the blush come to my cheeks and looked back down quickly to try to hide my self-realization from him.

Not willing to accept me looking away, Ranger put his finger tip at the side of my chin and pulled my face toward him. "Why did you pull away?" He asked uncertain.

Still trying to look anywhere other than at his face I replied, "I just realized how much time you must have spent here taking care of me and I don't know how to thank you."

"Is there anyone else you would have wanted to have with you?" He asked with an edge to his voice I couldn't understand.

Finding the strength to raise my eyes to his I answered honestly, "No."

_Ranger's POV_

I had been watching Stephanie sleep and hoping today she might be strong enough to get up for a while and move around some. I was worried about the muscle strength she did not have yesterday and was anxious to give her an opportunity to rebuild the function she would need to care for herself. Of course I also wanted to be able to talk to her with the possibility that she would remember the conversation. After Abuela Rosa's threats about waiting too long to tell Steph how I felt about her, I was anxious to talk to her about my feelings because I didn't want to wait too long and lose Steph altogether.

As I was lost in my thoughts I was looking at the profile of her face I felt her take a deep breath and then smile slightly. I called her on it and then couldn't resist teasing her when she commented that she wanted to stay in bed. It felt so natural to taunt her and slip into our usual banter.

When she shivered from the contact of my lips on her neck I pulled back and tried to keep from laughing at the way she responded to me. Our bodies that fit together so perfectly also seemed to react to even the smallest attention from the other.

She rolled over and then lifted her face to look at me. The expression on her face was almost that of complete adoration and then I saw a change. Her eyes began to shift and she looked down and blushed. Steph accused me having ESP, but in reality reactions like that made it easy to tell when something was wrong. Whatever thought had just crossed her mind had bothered and then embarrassed her and I needed to know what it was.

I tried to coax her into looking at me and although her head moved as I wanted it to, she stubbornly kept her eyes down. When she finally explained she was worried that she didn't know how to thank me for the time I'd spent watching over, her I wondered if there was someone else she would have preferred her with her. I had never entertained the thought that she might have been more comfortable with someone else and now I was worried that she didn't feel as comfortable and safe with me as I did when she took care of me.

But when I asked her about it her eyes immediately met mine and I felt the truth in her voice when she said no. If ever there was a time for control it was right now, and yet I felt mine slipping away. When I looked at her and we were alone I often felt like control was beyond my reach. Right now, I wanted nothing more than to close the small amount of space between us and press my lips to hers.

As the silence in the room grew so did the tension between us. Apparently Steph felt it too as she briefly looked down to my lips and then came back to my eyes. Unable to resist her any longer I started to move toward her at a snail's pace. Just as I was halfway to her opening mouth I heard her stomach growl. My first reaction was to ignore it and kiss her anyway but a second sound from her insistent beast got my attention and I shifted my lips up and placed a kiss on her forehead instead. Lingering briefly to verify she did feel cooler this morning I pulled back and asked, "Breakfast?"

She smiled and replied, "I guess we better so I don't wake the neighbors."

I stood up and didn't miss the fact that her eyes drank in my bare chest. Intentionally, I stood there for a minute as though I were assessing what to do next but in reality I was waiting for the rose color to paint her face as it usually did when she had some sort of inappropriate thought about me. My patience was rewarded when she blushed and then looked away.

_Stephanie's POV_

Something in my affirmation that I didn't want anyone but him to care for me spoke to Ranger because his expression changed. From the moment our eyes locked I began to feel a pull to get as close to him as possible. His full lips were so close to me that I couldn't resist stealing a quick glance to look at them before pulling my gaze back to his eyes. I swear I could feel electricity practically vibrating through my body as he began to move toward me. At first his progress was so slow I wasn't sure he was moving or if my brain was playing tricks on me based on what I wanted to have happen.

Of course my body betrayed me as he tried to close the gap and my stomach chose that exact moment to speak up. I prayed Ranger would ignore it, and he seemed to until another even louder growl broke the silence and then he moved his attention to my forehead and placed a kiss there. I wondered if I could convince Ranger to run a cold bath for me this morning. I was going to need something to get me over the temper tantrum my hormones were now throwing.

I agreed to breakfast when he offered it and tried to make a joke out of the untimely end to the mood but I was torn from that track of thought when Ranger stood up wearing only his silk boxers. My eyes feasted on his smooth sculpted body and I couldn't stop the image of me pushing up onto my knees to get better access to run my hands over each of the curves the muscles of his torso made when he moved. Temporarily I wondered what it would feel like to shift from my hands to my mouth on his chest and I wondered if he would ever release control enough to let me have my way with his body.

Of course as soon as the thought crossed my mind I blushed and forced myself to look at something else praying he wouldn't ask what I was thinking.

"Do you need some help getting up this morning?" He asked after pulling on a pair of sweats from the box of clothes the guys brought over.

I shook my head no, wanting to try getting up myself. "I think I can manage."

He looked at me for a few seconds and I knew he was analyzing whether or not he thought I could handle it. Finally he nodded and then reminded me, "I'll be in the kitchen so call me if you need anything. I was a little dizzy when I moved quickly at first so that is perfectly normal but don't get in the shower like that. Let me know and I'll help you."

"Alright," I tried to say in an upbeat tone. As soon as he stepped out of the room I turned and sat up realizing immediately what he meant about being dizzy when I tried to move quickly. Knowing I couldn't walk with the room moving like this I shut my eyes and felt my way to the edge of bed and then sat there with my feet on the floor to open my eyes and reassess how I was doing. Unfortunately, with the room spinning the way it was I couldn't tell. I tried to be patient but it didn't seem to be getting any better so I decided to just work through it.

I already felt weak and I knew I needed to get up and moving today before my muscles decided they no longer wished to work the way I wanted them to. I was pleased when I stood up and I way able to take two steps forward and grab a hold of the chest of drawers beside the door to my room. I waited there for a minute to let my body adjust to being vertical but it didn't seem to make a difference, I had no sense of what was level so I took small steps hoping I didn't run into anything.

Unfortunately my body decided this was not an exercise it was interested in participating in so the first step out of my room ended with me falling sideways and hitting the side of my face on the door frame. "Shit!" I exclaimed, perhaps a little louder than I should have, but I couldn't stop it from slipping out.

_Ranger's POV_

I could hear Stephanie move on the bed so I set the coffee pot and waited. I wanted to give her the space she needed to get back to normal but it was hard to balance that with the desire to just stay by her side and do everything for her.

I leaned against the counter and wondered if this would be the day I would get an opportunity to tell her how I felt about her and see if my suspicions were right about her feelings too. Trying once more to piece together the words I should use I heard a horrible sound and then her voice swearing. I ran and found her on the floor with her hand on her bruised cheek. Not taking the time to ask what happened I scooped her up into my arms and sat on the floor cradling her like a small child. Content to sit there with her safely protected in my arms I knew she probably needed to get to the bathroom which would mean helping her up once more.

"I'm guessing you're still dizzy?" I asked trying to explain to myself what happened.

"Yea, it didn't seem to go away no matter how slowly I moved so I was trying to just push through it and hope it would fade as I was up." She explained.

I stood up and sat her on her feet watching as she pressed her eyes shut to block out the movement. I kept my hands firmly on her so she would understand I wasn't going to let her fall and then said, "Try opening your eyes." She obeyed immediately so I pressed on, "Now take my hand and let's walk to the bathroom together. Having something steady to hold on to will keep the dizziness from being so overwhelming."

She did as I instructed and we made our way slowly to the bathroom. I could tell when my grip lessened that her balance was still not there as she would immediately begin to tilt in various directions. Her bathroom was small enough that she had plenty of things to hold onto so I agreed to let her take care of her morning routine only after she promised to not try and take a shower.

I shut the door but stood outside to listen for any sign that she was in distress. Because she couldn't see my face, I allowed myself to smile at the idea that most likely after breakfast I would have the opportunity to take a shower with her and have a reason to run my hands all over her body. I wondered how she would react to that.

_Stephanie's POV_

After going through my morning routine and pulling my Bride of Frankenstein hair back into a ponytail, I turned and made my way back to the door. I wasn't surprised to see Ranger standing there waiting for me. As much as I wanted to say I could do it myself I knew that wasn't true. The newly forming bruise on my cheek was evidence of that fact.

Ranger took my right hand in his right hand and put his left arm around my shoulder to steady me. "We'll go slow and get you to the couch and then I'll bring breakfast over, okay?"

I nodded, feeling that I was in no position to disagree. He settled me down and hovered briefly checking to be sure I didn't need a blanket or a pillow and then he walked into the kitchen and began pulling food onto a tray that I was sure had not existed in my cabinets prior to his arrival. I watched him moving in the kitchen with the same amount of grace he accomplished all tasks. It seemed unfair that in my apartment and in my kitchen he seemed more at home than I did.

Finally he turned and brought the tray laden with coffee, fruit and toasted bagels over to couch and sat it between us to have our breakfast together. We ate in a comfortable silence and he cleared the tray away when we were done. When he returned to the couch I began to suspect he wanted to tell me something. He was quiet which wasn't unusual, but he wasn't still and at ease like he normally would be when he was in his zone. Instead he seemed nervous, which was completely out of his normal character.

When he sat down I couldn't take it anymore and asked, "Why don't you just tell me what you want to say?"

After a moment of silence he replied, "Some things are hard to say out loud."

My chest physically felt as though it were caving in. I wasn't sure if my heart sped up or nearly stopped beating, but whatever it was doing hurt and my hand went to my chest and gripped the shirt I was wearing. I knew I was breathing shallower and my palms were getting sweaty and my stomach seemed to be considering whether or not breakfast was going to be a keeper.

Fearful that he was trying to come up with a way to tell me he was leaving, or that he needed to pull away from me for some classified reason my mouth went dry, taking away my ability to speak. If he did either of those things I feared my heart wouldn't survive it yet I felt completely incapable of defending our relationship to him. I couldn't come up with a single reason why he needed me in his life. I only knew why I couldn't live without him in mine.

Ranger was staring at his hands instead of looking at me so he may not have noticed the effect the silence was having on me as it lengthened. Finally he looked up and said, "Babe, I think we need to talk."

Oh God, can any good come from those seven words?

_Ranger's POV_

"Babe, I think we need to talk." I told her gathering up the courage to look at her for the first time to gauge her reaction to what I might be about to say. I expected to see her sitting there comfortable ready to talk. She loved conversation and since I hadn't dropped any clues about what I wanted to discuss I assumed she would be fine with that starting point.

I was totally unprepared for what I saw when I looked up. Her face was white, not pale from having been sick, but white as though passing out were only moments away. She was grasping the front of her shirt above her heart and holding it as though she were using that grip to literally keep herself together. Her breathing was coming fast and short and her pupils were dilated. Everything about her screamed fear and I was totally confused.

"Are you okay?" I asked worried that her health was being impacted by being out of bed. Perhaps I rushed her to get up this morning.

She nodded, but the fact that she said nothing wasn't lost on me. I couldn't continue until I knew what was wrong. This might be the wrong time to unload my emotions on her. I decided to just ask, "Babe, why are you afraid?"

Her eyes got bigger still, and she seemed shocked that I knew what she was feeling. I didn't want to embarrass her by detailing the physical markers she was exhibiting so I waited as she swallowed once, and then a second time trying to get her voice to work. My patience was truly tried but I refused to say anything until she told me what was wrong. Eventually my patience paid off when she looked away and admitted, "I'm afraid of what you're gong to say, I'm afraid that it's going to hurt."

"How could I hurt you by anything I have to say?" I wondered aloud.

Her eyes came back to me and focused on my face for a moment before she explained. "I've always known you were the greatest friend I had. Despite your warnings and reminders it's hard to spend time with you without developing a relationship of sorts. If you tell me that what we have needs to end then it will hurt me in ways I can't describe to you."

Now it was my turn to swallow hard trying to keep my throat from drying out so that I could respond. "I'm pretty sure you are misunderstanding the conversation we need to have." I told her beginning to feel hope that our feelings for each other were the same.

While her hand didn't relax at all her shoulders did lower slightly telling me she was at least open to hearing what I had to say. I decided to take Abuela's advice and just open my mouth. She'd never failed me before when she told me what to do. Hopefully my heart would know what it needed to say because looking in Stephanie's blue eyes at this moment my mind was completely blank.

_Stephanie's POV_

Ranger wanted to know why I was afraid and my first reaction was to deny that I was, but I knew he wouldn't buy it and I would eventually have to come clean. This was one of those times Grandma Mazur would tell me that I needed to put on my big girl panties and just jump in. Hoping Grandma was right I decided to just open my mouth and tell him the truth. I needed him in my life even if he didn't need me in his. If he tried to push me away I was afraid of how badly it would hurt.

I expected him to be disappointed in my answer or upset in some way that I hadn't listened to him when he so clearly defined the rules that we could not have a relationship. Instead he said he thought I was confused about what he wanted us to talk about. I wanted to believe him and relax that I had jumped to a conclusion. A part of me did believe him, but the rest of me stayed tense, it was the feeling you get when you know you are about to be in a wreck. There is nothing you can do to escape so your body just braces for the impact.

I took a couple of deep breaths and could have sworn Ranger was doing the same thing. Whatever he wanted to say to me was clearly making him nervous so I don't why he would expect that I shouldn't be upset by it. Then he did the most unbelievable thing. He opened up his mouth and began to talk.

_Ranger's POV_

"Some people consider me a difficult person to be around. They think I'm hard and cold or distant. They are intimidated by my size or my lifestyle. Of the people who try to push past the public image I find they are easy to discount because they seem to either be interested in my money, or they just want to be associated with the mystery that surrounds me."

I looked at Stephanie and saw she was hanging on every word as though she were afraid if she blinked she might miss something.

"Then there's you. If you find me difficult, you never complain about it. If you are intimidated by anything about me you never retreat. And it is abundantly clear that you neither want my money nor do you wish to be associated with me as a means to gain notoriety for yourself."

Her head shook marginally confirming everything I just said.

"I thought at first that I could be in your life without letting you into mine. The more I got to know you; the more I wanted to know about you. I would tell myself I could see you for a quick hello at the bond's office, but once I was near you I wasn't satisfied with that and greedily pulled you to the alley to have your full attention. I have been drawn to you since you first walked in that diner and the attraction to be closer to you only intensifies as I learn more about you."

With the last words the knuckles of her hand gripping her shirt began to take on flesh color instead of the white tight grip hue that had been here. I took that as a good sign that I hadn't scared her off yet.

"The problem was that in order to spend time getting to know you better, I accidentally allowed you to learn about my life too. With each new revelation I watched and waited expecting you to run off telling me that you'd seen enough. But you seemed to take everything in stride. I introduced you to my men and you began referring to them as your guys. I tell you about my government contracts and you make it a point to welcome me home after every return. I let you hear about some of the take downs and activities I've been associated with that have involved people losing their lives and you ask how I'm doing without batting an eye about the fact that I've just confessed to taking someone else's life. You insist on seeing the best in everyone you know and for some reason you include me in that."

Her hand finally left her shirt, although the wrinkles where it had been held remained. She put her hand on top of mine and interrupted me to say, "It's easy to see the best in you. Even the things that you've done that you seem to be so ashamed of admitting to were done for noble reasons."

I gave her a half smile as she provided yet another example of how accepting and loving she was without even realizing what a rare trait that was. I put my hand on top of hers to hold it there once again greedily taking from her for my own pleasure.

"You may think the way you've reacted to me is just normal behavior but believe me it isn't. I didn't understand it at first and honestly I waited in the beginning thinking there was a motivation there that I hadn't considered. Hell I even tried putting more pressure on you thinking if you understood what a jerk I could be that you would pull away. Of course that plan backfired on me in ways I'd never imagined."

I glanced at her and her face told me she had no idea what I was talking about. Clearly I needed to spell it out for her.

"Before that night we spent together I was sure that if we had sex we would both be able to move on with our lives. It would allow us to see that the tension between us was just based on not knowing what it would be like and busting the myth would bring us both back to reality that we have no business being together other than in a working capacity."

She didn't interrupt but I could tell she didn't care for the last bit I said. I decided to press on before she decided to interrupt.

"I never considered the possibility that when we spent the night together the change that would occur would be a connection being formed between the two of us that would be permanent and unbreakable. I wasn't prepared for how my feelings for you would instantly grow and change. How I'd struggle daily with the urge to physically hurt anyone that even looked at you inappropriately and how I would lose control when someone crossed the line and actually hurt you. I had no idea how often you would cross my mind during the day or how I would begin to change my schedule to insure I had the opportunity to see you."

Her eyes began to darken and the blue in them seemed to be sucking me in so that I was no longer trying to edit my words and the way I felt was just coming out on its own.

"I have used every amount of strength I have to resist being in a relationship with you and I have always used the excuse that it would be too dangerous for you, but watching you fight through this virus and begin to heal has told me that what I've really been worried about was how it would effect me if something happened to you. I've pushed you away to protect myself, not you."

With those last words her eyes began to glisten and I knew tears were building, but I had to assume she was not upset with me in order to finish what I had begun. I'd come too far in telling her how I felt to stop now.

"What I've come to realize is that we are in a relationship and even if I refused to admit it I have feelings for you. And even though I don't think I deserve to have you in my life I still want you there. You calm me and make me feel human. You remind me why I do what I do in the first place, and you make me want to be the person you think I am."

She made no attempt to wipe the tears from her cheeks so I lifted my hand from hers and used my thumb on her left cheek then flipped my hand to dry her right one with the back of my fingers.

She blinked quickly and then cleared her throat of the emotion there to ask, "So what are you trying to say?"

Now it was my turn to feel nervous. This was it. I either level with her and tell her plainly how I feel or I would lose this opportunity forever. I had to try, regardless of how hard it was to say the words aloud.

With that pep talk I looked her right in the eye, held her gaze with my own and said, "I'm in love with you."


	13. Knock, knock

_These are JE's characters, not mine._

_Jenn (perfectmanhattan) has been the wonderful beta on this story. Unfortunately, my impatient side got the best of me on this chapter and I posted it before she had a change to weigh in on it. Please understand the errors and run on sentences are all mine._

**Chapter 13 – Knock, knock…**

"_I'm in love with you."_

_Stephanie's POV_

I listened to Ranger talk and although everything he said sounded so wonderful, I kept waiting for the other shoe to fall and for him to throw in a big "but" in the middle of his speech. I asked him to clarify what he was saying and he paused briefly before looking in my eyes and making me feel completely exposed in front of him and then confessing that he was in love with me.

Nothing could have prepared me for this moment. I waited as long as I could to give him the chance to put a qualifier at the end, but he said nothing in the three of four seconds I managed to stay still. I wanted to open my heart and tell him what his words meant to me or to find a way of letting him know how I'd felt about him and our relationship over the years but when the moment came for me to say something I had no words that would do my emotions justice.

Instead I decided to buy a little time by shifting closer to him. I pulled my legs around and lifted up to tuck them underneath me, but when I was up on my knees a wave of dizziness hit me and I began to fall forward unexpectedly. I had nothing to grab onto so I fell right across Ranger's chest. His expression was impossible to read until I wrapped an arm around his neck intending to pull myself back upright. Instead, as my face passed by his I couldn't stop myself from pausing with our lips a mere two inches apart. Then, the look on his face was one I certainly recognized. It was longing and desire.

I didn't have the words, but I knew what I wanted so I closed the distance without hesitating and kissed him. Virus be damned, I got it from him so he shouldn't be at risk and I had no ability to keep the distance between us anymore.

From the moment our lips touched I was surprised at how warm I felt. My eyes closed and I used my arm around his neck to pull myself even closer to his chest. Suddenly any distance seemed too great and I needed us to be as close as possible. He didn't seem to object because his arms came around me immediately and I felt that he was pulling me as close as he could as well.

I figured I had nothing to lose so I opened my mouth and touched my tongue to his bottom lip. He responded by parting his lips and pulling my tongue into his mouth. Suddenly his words about the problem of always wanting more anytime we were together were ringing in my ears. I dreamed about kissing Ranger this way, uninhibited and passionately, and now that I was, I wanted more. Someone moaned, and while it's possible it was me, I don't think it was. The thought of Ranger being so affected by a kiss that he would moan made me want to see what other sounds he could make.

I started to loosen the grip I had around his neck in order to let my hands roam free, but before I could get past his right pectoral, he put a hand on top of mine to stop me and pulled back from my lips. I couldn't help but notice he was breathing a little heavier than normal so the few seconds it took for him to speak were filled with the sound of us both getting control over our breath.

"Not now, Babe, we need to finish this conversation." He said explaining why he stopped what had been a perfect moment.

I was hurt and felt rejected so I overreacted by pulling back and mumbling, "I knew there was going to be a giant but in this conversation somewhere."

Ranger smiled at my choice of words before he grabbed me and pulled me back into his lap. I would have objected to him just moving me like a doll, but this is where I wanted to be so I relaxed into his chest.

_Ranger's POV_

I needed to correct her belief that I was going to somehow claim everything I'd previously declared was true, but still manage to insist I didn't want a relationship with her.

"I meant everything I said, Stephanie, but before we can move forward I need to know how you feel. A relationship between us will take some work and some compromise and I need to know if you feel strongly enough about us to be willing to work out the things that might be problems first." I tried explaining.

Then I tightened my arms around her and waited. She looked down at my hand on her arm and traced the fingers of her free hand over my knuckles. I knew she was doing that partially as a distraction and partly to get her thoughts together so I just waited.

Finally she spoke, "Ranger, I've loved you for a long time. At first it was out of friendship and then I realized one day that the sparks between us in the alley, and the concern and care you so freely gave me during the day convinced me that what I felt for you was nothing like a simple friendship. I tried to push it away and deny how strong it was but it was getting harder to do."

"Then why did you do it?" I interrupted.

"Because you told me that we couldn't have a relationship and you've never lied to me, so I believed you." She explained.

"I've come to realize that while a relationship won't be easy in a lot of ways, not only is it possible, but I think we are the only two people left to recognize that it's necessary between us as well." I told her watching as she relaxed. "We've got a relationship and the only thing keeping the world from knowing about it is us."

She turned her face to look at me directly and then continued, "Are you serious? You mean a real relationship with dates, and family dinners, with phone calls to check in and let me know where you are and how you are. You want to let the guys know that we are together and you want to commit to being with no one else but me? You want a real relationship?"

I guess I could see why she was having such a hard time with this. I'd spent years allowing her to cultivate the impression that I was superhuman and could shut down the needs that most people were unable to deny. Seeing me do anything "normal" was probably a stretch. And, I honestly wasn't all that hip on family dinners, especially not with her family, but that was a minor point in the big scheme of things.

"I want a relationship with dates, and time away, with phone calls to check in and let me know where you are and how you are. I definitely want the guys to know that we're together and that you are with no one else but me," I assured her.

"I notice you skipped the family dinners," She commented with a half smile on her face.

"Babe," I replied hoping she understood it was a given that if she needed me to go with her to her family's house that I would be there.

"I know, I know, my family is a bit much. Besides I really just wanted to see if you would freak out over that part." She teased.

As much as I loved laughing with her I felt like there were words that I needed to hear from her that she hadn't said yet. I couldn't move this conversation forward until she made it perfectly clear where she stood.

"You're stalling," I called her on it and hoped she would pick up where she had been before we got off on her family.

_Stephanie's POV_

I knew what Ranger wanted. He wanted me to spell out how I felt. That wasn't the kind of thing that I did simply. It was one thing to think about it, but to say the words out loud made it real and irrevocable. Of course, this was Ranger and there was no one else I trusted like him. This is what I'd wanted and dreamed about for a long time. I'd worn out shower massagers fantasizing about the end of this conversation, but now that it was in front of me I was terrified.

"I'm scared," I began but before he could jump in and talk I decided to just lay it out for him.

"My track record with men hasn't been all that great. My boyfriend in college dumped me for my roommate. Dickie couldn't even wait for us to finish writing the thank you notes for our wedding gifts before he had Joyce on the dinning room table, and then Joe was willing to commit but only if I'd agree to completely change who I was. He wanted my shell, but with a different person inside." I explained. Saying it out loud hurt more than I thought it would.

"After a while I started to believe it was just me. I learned to deal with it by recognizing that while these guys never really committed to me, I had never fully opened up to them either. But you never let me hide and if I tried you would just bust on in and force me to reality. So being in a relationship with you scares me because you are already in. There's no place in my heart that you haven't touched. And if something happens and you decide you either can't handle it, or don't want me then I don't know how I would move on. I don't think I could bounce back from that."

I watched as his face changed and his expression went to something I could not recognize. Finally he moved closer and hugged me to him holding my head to his neck and pulling the scrunchie from the ponytail in my hair. "Stephanie, I can't predict the future but I can promise you this. I will never forget what a wonderful woman you are and how lucky I am to have you in my life. I can't explain why those assholes didn't treat you the way you deserved, but I can tell you that you will have my faithfulness and my devotion for as long as you want it." He paused for a second and then added, "You've said it yourself, I've never lied to you and this is no different."

I believed him and decided the opportunity to have the relationship I'd always wanted was right in front of me if I could just gather up the courage to tell him how I felt. With my head cradled against his neck and a deep breath, I spoke, "Ranger, I'm in love with you. I have been for a long time."

_Ranger's POV_

I knew Steph had been mistreated by the men in her life. That was the only explanation I had for why she and Morelli continued with their unhealthy pattern. I assumed she thought it was the best she could do based on her past. Of course that idea was completely ludicrous and if she'd let me I'd spend a lifetime proving it to her. There were many things that I could not promise her, but loyalty for the rest of my life was definitely something within my control.

I felt her breath against my neck and knew she was about to speak. I just hoped she was going to say what I wanted to hear. "Ranger, I'm in love with you. I have been for a long time."

My arms tightened and I had to force myself to relax to keep from hurting her. I was feeling something I'd never experienced before and I figured I'd just about seen it all. The closest explanation was that when she finally said she loved me my stomach went to my throat and my heart began to beat harder and faster. It was similar to the way I felt when I jumped out of a plane.

Once I got control of myself I stopped holding Stephanie so tightly in order to kiss her once more. This time I didn't feel the need to go slowly. I knew we still had details to work out and some big discussions were ahead of us but right now I didn't care. I just wanted to show her that everything I'd said was true.

I claimed her lips with mine and didn't even try to hold back. I'm not sure I could have even if I'd tried, there was a force driving me much stronger than anything I'd experienced before and for once I wasn't going to question it. Feeling her respond to me and not only receive my kisses but reply with ones of her own that were matched in intensity told me this was right. In the back of my mind I wondered if she felt well enough for this yet, but the part of my body controlling my actions right now was certainly not that annoying little voice.

I was consumed in the moment and it wasn't until Stephanie began to pull away that I realized something was wrong. "What…" I started to ask but was interrupted by pounding on the door of her apartment. Way to be aware of your surroundings, Manoso.

I raised an eyebrow at her, in part because I knew it irritated her that she couldn't do it and to more efficiently ask if she knew who was at the door. Understanding me perfectly she shrugged her shoulders telling me she had no idea. When she started to stand up to look for who was there she wobbled and I caught her before she could fall. I was concerned that her dizziness didn't seem to be passing and assumed I'd rushed her to get out of bed before her body was ready. I placed her on the couch so she could see me answer the door and made a mental note that she needed to rest some more after I got rid of whoever was there.

I looked in the security hole expecting to see one of the guys. Before I could tell Stephanie who was there he announced himself.

"Cupcake, I know you're in there. I've been asking around and no one has seen you in a couple of days. I know the last time we talked didn't go well, but I'm willing to overlook that if you'll just open the door and let me in." He continued to bang his fist as he spoke. "Come on Steph, I'm getting worried."

I looked back at Stephanie to see what she wanted me to do. I would've loved nothing more than to open the door and let him see us together, in disheveled clothes, Steph's crazy hair, and inability to walk, and let him draw his own conclusions. But I didn't want to assume she would be onboard with that.

Her eyes were narrowed and her lips were tight telling me she was less than happy about his presence "Tell me what you want me to do," I asked her quietly not wanting to make a misstep here.

"Nothing," She instructed. "Get away from the door. I'll deal with Joe when I'm stronger, but now isn't the time."

While I disagreed that there was anything wrong with confronting him now, I didn't say a word, joining her back on the sofa instead.

Just as I sat down he began banging once more and yelled, "I know he's there. His car is in the parking lot. If you think I'm going to stand by and watch while you whore yourself out to the likes of him, you're crazy. We are through!"

He banged on the door a few more times and then pulled out the big gun, saying, "I'm sure your mother will love to hear that you turned a future with me down in order to slut yourself with a bunch of criminals. Hell, they're not even Italian!" With a final kick against the door he added, "Just remember Cupcake, this was your decision and there's no undoing it now."

Before I could ask if she was alright my cell phone rang and I jumped to answer it. The guys knew I was offline as long as Stephanie was sick so I figured it was important.

"Morelli is coming back down to his car and he looks royally pissed off. Do we need to stay on him?" Came Ram's voice.

"No, let him go. I think he's decided to walk away for now." I told him.

"Do you still want us to watch the apartment?" He followed up.

I'd forgotten there were guys in the parking lot. They knew we couldn't open the door until Steph was over the worst of her symptoms so having them there to run interference would have been helpful, but didn't seem necessary anymore. "No, you can pack it in and head back. Tell Tank to pull the rest of the rotation as well." I was here and I knew with a hundred percent certainty that no one get to Stephanie.

"How's Bomber?" He asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"Beginning to improve," I replied in a flat tone indicating that was all I wanted to say on the subject.

"Do you need some of us to watch over her and give you a break?" He offered. I was a little irritated that he would assume I was incapable of seeing this through.

"Negative," I replied.

"Does she need anything?" He pushed. "I could run out and get it before I head back to the office."

What was it with these guys? "No." I bit out a little more harshly than he probably deserved. "We're good," I added trying to soften my first response.

Finally able to disconnect the call I returned to Stephanie on the couch and looked at her carefully. She was beginning to look tired. I was unsure if it was the emotional talk we'd had or the anger that had risen up in her when Morelli showed up, but she was crashing. I thought it would be a good idea to feed her before taking her to bed so I heated up some chicken with rice and beans and handed a small bowl to her with a fork.

She looked at me strangely as she took a small bite so I told her, "Have a little something to eat and then I'm taking you to bed."

I had to work to keep my neutral face in place as she began to choke and then blush at my word choice. I offered her a bottle of water to help sooth her throat and said, "I meant so that you could take a nap, but if you had something else in mind I am completely at your disposal."

If it were possible she turned an even darker shade of red. I loved getting responses from her so pushing the envelope like that came naturally. What I wasn't prepared for was her response. "Why don't you give me the day to get my legs under me a little better and then I'll see what creative things I can come up with you at my disposal."

While I wasn't expecting the comment, I loved it just the same. "As you wish," I told her with a smile before pointing to her bowl indicating she needed to keep eating.

She managed to eat most everything I gave her before claiming to be full. I decided not to push it hoping that her appetite would return soon to speed her recovery. But for now I was thankful just to have her by my side with her beautiful blue eyes looking at me.

I decided to carry her to the bathroom instead of risking another fall. I gave her a few minutes to freshen up and then carried her to the bedroom.

When I lifted her a second time she complained, "I can walk you know."

I didn't feel like debating that fact in light of her current balance issues. Instead I went with the truth. "There are more things we will need to talk about after you've rested, but for now you need to know that you are mine, and I take care of what's mine. You're going to need to get used to letting me do things for you because I intend to do a lot more than carry you when you're dizzy."

She moved a hand to the side of my face and I couldn't stop the reaction of leaning into her touch. "When I'm not dizzy, you need to prepare yourself for me to do a lot more than just be carried by you."

The growl that came from my chest when I laid her down was not a familiar sound for me to make. But Stephanie had a habit of producing all kinds of reactions that were outside of the norm for me. Early on in knowing her it bothered me. The unpredictable couldn't be controlled, and without control there was danger, but now I had learned there was also joy in the surprises and it was the moments with Steph that I least expected that meant the most to me.

I tried to pull back when I laid her down in the bed but the grip she had on my shirt told me that wasn't what she wanted. I gave in and spooned behind her happy to hold her in my arms if it could bring her any level of comfort. I felt her breathing even out and shut my eyes to dwell on how I felt now.

I was happy. It sounds strange to say that was an unusual emotion, but happiness wasn't something I experienced much of. I would be pleased with a good outcome at work, or content with my surroundings. I was proud of my men and my company, but happiness was unique. I wasn't going to admit it but Abuela Rosa was right. I guess when the time came I was able to rise to the occasion and find the right words. I mean, Stephanie was in my arms and she knew how I felt about her.

All we had to do now was talk about the changes her lifestyle would need to undergo in order to accommodate the security measures I would need to be comfortable letting her out of my sight. After surviving the talk about how we feel, that discussion would be simple, right?


	14. The Right Leverage

JE gets all the credit for the characters below.

Jenn (perfectmanhattan) thank you for your patience and suggestions as the beta on this story.

**Chapter 14 – The Right Leverage**

Stephanie's POV

I woke up and instantly smiled realizing my head no longer hurt. I slowly opened my eyes curious if vision would bring pain but the light coming in through the windows didn't bother me in the least. Then I remembered the discussion Ranger and I shared prior to going to sleep and I smiled even bigger. I rolled over and the smile disappeared when I realized I was alone in my bed. Where was Ranger?

I listened but couldn't hear a sound in the apartment other than me. Maybe my memories of that discussion were just a dream. According to my alarm clock it was nine and based on the sun, I had to assume it was morning meaning I'd slept since yesterday afternoon without getting up. Of course as soon as I realized that, my bodily needs became more urgent. Just as I was about to sit up my bedroom door opened and a towel clad Ranger walked in.

His chest and legs were exposed and keeping thoughts in my head was a struggle but I was able to note that my towels were definitely not as long as his were based on the way his leg showed with each step he took. I tried to hide the smile at the thought that his mini-skirt had a slutty slit up the side and I definitely approved of his fashion statement.

"Do I want to know what that smile is about, Babe?" He asked informing me that I'd been completely unsuccessful at hiding my amusement at his attire.

I shook my head to clear it and confessed, "Probably not."

He moved from the door to the side of the bed and knelt there, brushing my hair away from my face. "I'm glad to see you're awake. I was starting to get worried. How do you feel?"

I was warmed at his concern and wanted to erase that worry, "I'm fine. Actually, this is the best I've felt in over a week. My headache is gone, my eyes opened easily and other than needing to go to the bathroom there are no other aches or pains."

He held out his hand to help me sit up, watching me for any signs of discomfort or vertigo. The room was spinning which upset me slightly, but it was definitely better than yesterday. "I'm okay," I assured him, stretching the truth slightly.

I don't know if he didn't believe me or if he just wanted to hold on for a while longer, but he continued to keep my hand in his as he led me to the bathroom. I turned around and faced him before he could walk in with me and I informed him that I would handle it from it here.

"I'll get dressed and then wait for you in the living room. Call me if you need anything." He said firmly removing my ability to try and convince him I wouldn't need any assistance.

Once the door closed I quickly took care of my most pressing needs and then turned on the shower, desperate for some help in taming my hair. I didn't even need to look at it to know how horrible it looked.

I had to stop several times and hold onto something and wait for a wave of dizziness to pass but I was pleased when I stepped into the shower without incident. Once I was clean and my hair was weighted down with water and conditioner I stepped out. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of flipping my head upside down to towel it dry. As soon as I made the sudden movement and put myself in such an awkward position, my center of gravity was lost and I toppled over. Fortunately I caught myself on my hands and knees. The down side was that I made enough noise that Ranger was knocking on the door asking if I was alright.

I had to take a minute on the floor to be sure I was before I replied, "I'm fine. I'm just a little weak so I needed to get off my feet quickly. I'll be out in a little bit."

I took a few deep breaths hoping he would buy the line I just gave him and allow me to keep a little dignity. I didn't hear him trying to pick the lock so I pulled myself up and wrapped a towel around my hair, twisting it in the hope of getting enough water out to work with it. I wrapped myself in another towel and then tacked my hair with my full arsenal. I needed to convince him I was okay and the first step of that was making my hair look good. The second would include a few coats of mascara. If I had a little buffer between us like some make-up and Mr. Alexander's hair gel, then I was pretty sure I could convince him I was alright.

It took a while to dry my hair with the blow dryer which gave me plenty of time to think. I had no way of knowing if the memory I had of Ranger telling me he loved me without qualification was real or in my dreams. I had to admit it was so perfect and he was so open and forthcoming that it made me doubt the reality of it. I mean, in the years I'd known him when had he ever disclosed so much voluntarily? My eyes began to moisten but I grabbed a little toilet paper and wiped it away before it could catch my mascara and ruin my hard work.

Once I finished I looked in the mirror and gave myself a little pep talk. I needed to go out there and act like nothing had changed. Ranger might have been attentive and protective over the last few days, but that was probably just out of guilt for my having cared for him. I was an obligation, nothing more. I just needed to prove to him that I was fine and then he would leave me alone and I could fall apart in solitude. But for the next twenty-four hours I needed him to believe all was well so that he wouldn't try to pull away anymore to keep me from forming an attachment that he couldn't return.

I tightened the towel around my chest and turned to get dressed. I found that if I moved slowly enough I was able to deal with the feeling of the room moving and get where I needed to be. I could hear Ranger in the kitchen and tried to get dressed as quickly as possible so that he wouldn't walk in on me half naked.

I wore a button up shirt so that I didn't have to pull anything over my newly fixed hair. I was pleased with how it turned out and didn't want to have to do any touchup work this early in the day. When I came around the corner into the kitchen Ranger turned around and smiled at me.

I never got used to that sight. He was sexy on his best day, but when he looked at me with his piercing eyes and smiled, I lost the ability to form complete sentences.

"You look like you're going to make it," He said coming over to me and taking my hand. I let him lead me to the couch and sat down like he wanted me to. When he returned with a cup of coffee and a plate I was happy to see he'd scrambled an egg, topped it with cheese and put it between two pieces of toast. The toast was unbuttered, but considering he was giving me eggs and cheese I wasn't going to complain.

"You do realize there are several grams of fat on this plate, right?" I teased him.

He sat right next to me on the sofa and replied, "But there is also a lot of protein which will help to get your strength up quicker so the fat is an acceptable trade off."

"I knew there had to be a catch," I responded with a smile happily taking a bite and shutting my eyes as the food hit my tongue. I shouldn't be surprised that it was delicious, Ranger seemed to do everything well, but this was fantastic.

I was finished eating and I looked at Ranger's face after surrendering my plate to his outstretched hand, I noticed his eyes were darker and his face had an edge to it. Interesting, maybe I was a little louder in my appreciation of breakfast than I thought.

He came back and sat beside me before putting his arm over my shoulders and pulling me to his side. I was surprised but tried not to show it. It wasn't like him to be so affectionate outside the context of an emergency.

I kept my coffee in my hands drinking it as much for the benefit of the caffeine as for the warmth it provided as I held the cup. While I was taking a sip of the coffee Ranger turned to me and mentioned that we should finish yesterday's conversation.

I tried not to choke, but the coffee caught in my throat anyway. After I stopped my less than ladylike near death by beverage I managed to say, "And what conversation was that?"

Ranger's POV

I rubbed Stephanie's back while she continued to cough a little after totally surprising me with her question about what conversation I was referring to. Did she really not remember or was she just trying to get me to talk first? When she slept so long yesterday afternoon and then through the night last night I was concerned that maybe I had rushed things and she was much sicker than I believed her to be. Perhaps the exhaustion she had experienced from the virus really had erased her memory. If that were true did she really mean what she said?

If I wanted to move forward with her I was obviously going to have to give her some clue what we had talked about yesterday. I decided to go about it in a different way by putting some pressure on her and said, "Yesterday you told me you were in love with me."

Her head snapped around so that she could better see me. The expression on her face was changing almost as quickly as her heart was beating and it was all I could do to keep up with what she might be thinking. Finally confusion was the emotion that her face seemed to land on.

"I thought you said you were in love with me too." She said very softly as though telling me that were a painful confession. I couldn't understand why the memory of our conversation was both confusing and painful to her.

I tried to run through any possible scenario that would explain why her feelings seemed to have changed overnight. Finally I decided that we had gotten into this difficulty because neither one of us were good at sharing our emotions. One of us needed to stand up and speak clearly, and apparently that person needed to be me. "I did tell you that I was in love with you."

If I thought her reaction yesterday was a good one, it was nothing compared to what she did this morning. Briefly her face seemed to rewind many of the emotions that she had just processed. It was almost like she doubted her memory of our conversation from the day before and hearing my confirmation had lifted a great weight from her. Literally her shoulders lifted and her eyes began to sparkle for the first time since before I left on my mission several months ago.

Then she shifted out from under my arm in order to face me. "It wasn't a dream?" she asked, her voice full of hope.

I was right; she was worried that her memory wasn't real. I shook my head no and confirmed what she wondered, "No, Babe, it wasn't a dream. I told you that I loved you and that I had for years and you told me the same thing."

This time my words spurred her into action. Her eyes closed, but before I could ask her to open them, she moved her hands so that they were on top of my shoulders and she hoisted herself into my lap. Straddling my legs she finally opened her eyes. Her pupils were huge and they resembled the way she looked when she'd been drinking, making me wonder if she were still dizzy. However when she smiled at me and moved one of her hands to my hair I forgot all about asking about her condition.

"I thought it was a dream and that I had imagined everything you said yesterday." She confessed moving her face much closer to mine allowing me to drink in the scent of cherries and vanilla from her shampoo.

I put my hands on her back and pulled her closer to me. With our lips mere inches apart I replied, "Then maybe I should tell you again so that you don't doubt how I feel."

Her eyes darkened and she closed half the distance between us. "I think I'd like that."

Dropping my eyes to her lips I said, "I love you Stephanie Plum. You are everything to me and I intend to spend my life showing you just how true that is."

I don't know which one of us moved first to finish bridging the gap, but I know that when our lips touched there was a hunger there that seemed to consume us both. Her hand tightened in my hair, almost to the point of being painful, which surprised me and turned me on. As if having her straddle my lap and moaning at my attention wasn't enough, now she was discovering new ways of setting me off.

Stephanie's POV

I couldn't believe my ears when Ranger told me he loved me. I blame the surprise of his words for my reaction of practically attacking him and jumping in his lap. I had to shut my eyes to keep the spinning from making me sick but once I felt like the world was still I opened them and found his gorgeous face so close to my own. I blame the closeness of his body and the words I'd only heard in my dreams for making me run my fingers in his hair and kiss him with such force I had to tighten my grip to keep my balance.

As it was I knew my hips were pressing into his lap and the sounds coming from my throat were a combination of primal and urgent. Every nerve in my body was screaming to be touched and even when his hands moved up my back and pulled me to him I still wanted more. "Oh God, Ranger," I moaned out as I kissed down his jaw to work my way to his ear.

He growled in response as though words were too much for him at that moment. "Tell me," He finally managed to whisper into my hair.

"Tell you what?" I asked confused while tracing the shell of his ear with my finger following the path my lips had just taken. It seemed like a strange time for conversation so I used my hand still tangled in his hair to hold his head on the sensitive skin just below my ear on my neck.

"Tell me again how you feel," He explained just before sucking my skin in his mouth. I knew it would leave a mark and I didn't care. I wanted more and I'd gladly say anything to keep his mouth occupied.

"I am completely in love with you," I told him in a voice that hardly sounded like my own. I knew I'd been sick, but the sound I heard was gravely and thick with desire. Hell, I was turning myself on by the tenor of it so I decided to see what kind of effect it would have on Ranger if I kept talking. "I can't imagine what I did to deserve this kind of happiness but as long as you'll have me I'm not letting you go."

My words must have worked because I suddenly felt a draft and looked down just in time to see his hand rip my shirt open with little white buttons bouncing off the sofa and rolling on the floor. We both looked at my newly exposed chest as though it were a shock to see it. I couldn't believe Ranger did that. It was as if his famous control was slipping and the realization of that possibility snapped something in me as well. Taking advantage of his temporary pause I grabbed his shirttail and pulled saying, "Too many clothes."

A part of me wondered if he would try to pull back being put off by my forward behavior but I couldn't have been more wrong. He pushed the shoulders of my shirt back so the sleeves slipped from my arms leaving me in his lap with no shirt and a plan white bra. "I agree, there are too many clothes," He repeated as my shirt hit the floor.

Instead of helping me remove his shirt he leaned forward and began running his mouth over my chest from my neck down to the top of my bra, lightly running his teeth over my collarbone on his way down. I managed to keep my senses about me long enough to pull his t-shirt from his pants to have access to the skin of his torso. I don't know if the feel of his body under my fingers or the attention of his hands on me was driving me crazier but the combination of the two was quickly heating me up. So much so that the movement of my hips grinding against his was beginning to take on a rhythm and my body began to hum in anticipation of what was to come.

He reached behind his neck to take off his shirt. I was so distracted by the sight of his now bare chest that I didn't feel his hand move to my back and undo the clasp of my bra. It wasn't until his head moved to position his mouth on a nipple that I realized my breasts were exposed.

By this point I was just hanging on by a thread fighting the feeling that I was about to fly apart from pleasure. Of course the things Ranger was doing with his mouth and hands to my breasts were not helping me to keep it together. Sensing I was holding back he released the nipple he had been teasing and said, "Just let go for me Steph."

I don't know if it was his words that did it or the feel of his teeth lightly biting my nipple again but I was powerless to fight it any longer and I came with an intensity that frightened me. My whole body tightened in pleasure when I pushed my hips against him and held his head against my chest.

He stopped moving as my orgasm moved through me but he did not release my nipple from his mouth. Once I began to come back to reality he gradually pulled away from my chest and moved his hands up to cup my face. Waiting until my eyes focused on his he slowly moved to my mouth and kissed me once more. I would have thought the intensity of what I just felt would have satisfied me for a while, but when his tongue entered my mouth I knew I needed to have him closer to me. My body began to respond once more and I was the one that pulled back enough to speak. "Bedroom."

He said nothing in response, but stood up holding me to him with his hands under my ass. I clung to him with my arms around his neck and my legs hooking around his waist. I wasn't sure what was going to happen next, but I trusted Ranger completely and based on what I'd just felt I knew it was going to be good.

Ranger's POV

I was quickly getting to a point of being unable to hold back. I didn't want to scare Stephanie but keeping my body under control was a battle I was beginning to lose. When I felt her thrust her hips against mine and tightened her hold once more in my hair to keep my face against her chest I knew she was coming. Her muscles tightened and she briefly held her breath as her body pressed against mine. When she began to relax I slowly released her nipple from my mouth knowing it would still be sensitive.

I wanted to tell her how I felt and affirm that I was in love with her and not just lusting after her body so I held myself back long enough to frame her face with my hands. It took her a minute to focus but once her eyes locked with mine I slowly moved in to kiss her. Most people say that a first kiss between a couple is a singular event. It contains all the excitement and tension of their hopes for the relationship and once it is over all other kisses pale in comparison. While I might have agreed with that in the past, whoever propagated such an idea had obviously never met my Babe.

Each kiss grew and changed and left me reeling so that they all had an element of unpredictability and excitement. She reinforced that when she pulled away from me and told me to take her to the bedroom. It was all the invitation I needed to carry her, held tightly against my body as though any distance between us might break the spell of what we were sharing and neither of us were willing to let that happen.

I sat her down on the bed and stepped back to appreciate the look of her half naked and ridden with desire. Her face was flushed, her blue eyes were as dark as a stormy ocean and her hair, which had been neatly fixed, was now wild and unruly looking. It was screaming to have my hands run through it and I was in no mood to decline. I leaned over her and buried a hand in her curls while using the other one to tease the skin over her ribs. My touch was light enough to tickle so when she shivered from the sensation I drew my hand back. Stephanie was having none of that so she grabbed it and pulled it back to her chest. "Don't pull away, please," She pleaded in that sex kitten voice I had never heard her use before.

I leaned down and kissed her; unable to deny her anything she wanted. Just before my body took over and short circuited my brain I had a thought. We had only had half of the discussion that we needed to have. We still needed to talk about what a relationship would mean for us both. She might want my love, but would she want the strings that came with it? I wouldn't want her to think I held back the hard part of the conversation just to have sex.

With that thought I reluctantly pulled my mouth away from her and said, "Babe, we still need to finish our talk."

She moved so that her lips were on my neck. I had to grit my teeth to keep my focus against what she was doing. Every small kiss she planted on my skin left a fire burning on me.

"What talk?" She asked before adding, "I can think of some things I'd rather do right now besides talk."

"So can I," I agreed with my hand taking on a will of its own and moving up to cradle her perfect breast once more. Trying to fight my urges I clarified, "But I don't want you to think I tricked you into having sex with me and intentionally didn't tell you about some of the things I need you to do if we are going to have a relationship."

"You aren't tricking me into sex," She rebutted before biting down where my neck met my shoulder. At this rate I'd have my molar's worn down before she gave up. "I'm begging you for it. We can talk later." She said.

I decided she was right and it did seem like a strange time to work on the rules of engagement concerning our relationship. I relaxed my jaw and moved my hand down to undo the button at the top of her pants. I pulled the zipper down slowly enjoying the way her hips were moving in anticipation.

Just before I moved to pull her pants off she stopped kissing me and pulled back slightly to ask, "What things do you need me to do?" There was concern in her eyes so I knew I had opened Pandora's Box. This is why I tended to be quiet. If you rarely spoke it was unlikely you would say something you'd later regret.

I wondered if I could distract her in order to move the conversation along quickly so I rolled over to position myself on top of her. I used my index finger to trace the fullness of her bottom lip while I spoke, "I don't want you to ever feel like you've lost your freedom because you are in a relationship with me, but I need to know that you are as safe as possible."

"So being in a relationship with you means taking certain precautions, always having a tracker or a collections of trackers on me, putting up with a body guard and hearing you nag me about carrying my gun?" She summed up.

"Among other things," I agreed with a smile.

She laughed softly and I felt my body respond to the beauty of the sound. Suddenly this conversation didn't seem as important as it once did. "What's so funny?" I asked genuinely curious.

"How is that any different from what you ask of me now?" She wondered.

"The difference is, now I would expect you to keep the tracker, not ditch them in a trash can or give them to your Grandma Mazur. I'd want you to keep the body guard instead of trying to lose them as a game, and I'd want you to actually carry the gun loaded." I clarified.

"And in return for this, the things I would need from you would be acceptable as well?" She asked with the look on her face shifting to something I'd never seen before.

"That would depend on what's on your list?" I countered before moving off of her when she pushed against me in an attempt to get up.

As soon as I gave her room to move she pushed me over and straddled my waist with her hands pressing down on my chest. "My list is very simple. I need you to understand I'll do my very best to do the things you need me to, but I won't give up my freedom just because we're in a relationship."

I nodded that I understood but she continued anyway, "That means no sending me to a safe house when the first freak gets infatuated with me, and you can't send the guys to pick up my skips to protect me. I need to be able to live my life; I just want to be able to share it with you."

"I can accept that but if the time comes when a safe house is truly the best option for your safety then I need to be able to trust that you will go and stay there until I return for you," I explained hoping she would understand how important this was.

Her fingertip began to trace a slow path down the center of my chest as she spoke. "That's what this needs to be about…trust. I don't want a new set of rules to obey in order to be in a relationship with you. I want to trust you that if I tell you something is important to me that we'll work together to come up with a solution. And the same is true if you tell me something is important to you. Let me feel like a partner in coming up with a solution instead of servant given a new set of laws from a ruler."

I understood exactly what she meant. It wasn't giving up her freedom if she played a role in figuring out what was going to happen. Looking at it as a trust issue, not a board room negotiation made more sense so I readily agreed eager to pick up where we left off.

I sat up and wrapped my hands around her back to keep her in her current position. "I think I can agree to your terms as you defined them," I teased while moving to lick the shell of her ear again.

"That's not all," She said using the sexy breathy voice once more.

"What else?" I asked assuming she was just teasing me again.

"I want this," She said moving her hands to grip and rub the hard buldge in my pants.

"It's yours," I quickly agreed.

"No, I want it now, and I'm going to want it often," She said revealing a forward part of her personality I hadn't known existed. Experiencing it now only made me want her more. If our earlier discussion had been a well balanced meeting of the minds, it appeared as though our bodies were going to be equally matched as well.

Thank God I gave her a high protein breakfast. We were both going to need the energy.


	15. A Little Less Talk

_These are JE's characters, but what they are doing below is all me._

_Jenn (perfectmanhattan) thanks so much for giving me your careful eye and gentle suggestions for this chapter as the Beta._

**Chapter 15 – A Little Less Talk**

I never understood why movie makers cut to scenes of wild horses running on the beach, sunsets over the ocean, or even fireworks bursting in the sky. All those images, while beautiful are nothing like the experience of a Ranger induced orgasm.

Once our "negotiations" were complete we both seemed to feel the freedom of our newly defined relationship. I hadn't thought through my words at the time, I just opened my mouth and let my heart talk. Thankfully what came out was what I most wanted and apparently something Ranger could live with. Our relationship needed to be built on trust not on rules. Knowing me it wouldn't take too long before it was tested so I prayed when it happened the foundation of what held us together would be strong enough to pull us through.

The new found freedom not only covered our emotions but our physical needs as well. Once our words ended our bodies began to speak. When he rose up beneath me so that we were face to face I could think of nothing but getting rid of the rest of the clothes between us. Thankfully his mind ran in the same direction as he pulled away from a kiss and began to move us to the end of bed. Ranger lifted me to stand in front of his seated position at the bed's foot and my pants, which were already undone, were slowly pushed to the floor by his warm hands. I kept my hands on his shoulders to steady myself. Standing in front of him in a pair of simple white panties I was mentally cursing my lack of foresight for not picking something sexier when I dressed this morning.

It didn't seem to faze him at all. His hands moved back up my legs with his fingers spread to touch as much skin as possible. Despite the fact I was not cold I shivered slightly. Responding to my movement Ranger pulled me closer to him and wrapped his arms around my waist hugging me with the side of his face pressed against my stomach. I ran my fingers through his hair and smiled when I heard him sigh. I couldn't believe what an effect his hair had on him but I was certainly thankful to know it.

"Trust me, Babe?" He asked looking up at me with his arms still tight around my hips. I nodded yes unsure of why he was asking. Before I could run through any possibilities he stood and rotated us so that the back of my legs were touching the mattress. I had shut my eyes as soon as we started moving to keep from feeling like the room was continuing to spin but even with my eyes shut I was able to move my hand down to his waist and begin to fumble with the button on his cargos.

He put his hand on mine and I groaned in protest when he interrupted my attempt at getting his pants off. My eyes shot open though when he said, "Let's me help you with that." And his hands efficiently completed the task I had been frustrated at attempting. He undid the button and pulled the zipper down but stopped there giving me the chance to move things forward.

A soft push against my shoulders caused me to sit down on the bed leaving Ranger standing right in front of me. I had to admire the sight of what was at my eye level and then smiled at the fact that a few tugs on his pants would greatly improve the view. Unable to go slowly I push down from his waist and moaned when the fact that he was going commando was verified.

I waited for him to step out of his pants and then return in front of me. I tightly grasped him with one hand and let the other roam around his hip to the small of his back and back around. Ranger hissed and let out a string of Spanish I could not fully hear or understand. Still, the intent was communicated clearly and I was relatively certain he was enjoying the feel of my hand on him so I decided to take things up another notch and lowered my face so that my teeth could graze the top of him.

I was not a prude or new at this by any stretch but I was amazed that for the first time ever I was finding the act of pulling him into my mouth to be a total turn on for me. I wasn't doing this because I felt obligated to do so or because I thought it was a step needed to get to the good stuff; this act in and of itself was the good stuff. With that thought I pulled him into my mouth drawing as much suction as possible and them moaning when his hands tightened in my hair almost as his grip on my curls were necessary to stay upright.

When I moved my left hand from his back to softly cup and massage his balls I understood the, "Madre de Dios!" and I definitely understood when he called my name and thrusted his hips forward.

I tasted the warm saltiness in my mouth I smiled thinking about what was to come. I softly released him and then playfully nipped and kissed his hip. I couldn't help but smile when I noticed I had left a bruise. No one would ever see it of course, but I still loved the feeling that I had left a mark on Ranger.

Ranger knelt in front of me and took my face in his hands before kissing me hard and passionately. When he pulled back there was still a small smile on my face which he noticed of course. I don't know what he thought of it, but he smiled softly before leaning me back on the bed with my legs bent at the knee off the edge of the mattress. Moving from my mouth he kissed every bit of exposed skin between my neck and my thighs. Just as he began to move from my legs back to my center he said, "Todas las minas." I didn't know what it meant but I loved the sound of it.

Finally settling between my legs his tongue made a single pass between my folds before he stopped to comment, "tan humendo," before beginning a sweet torture designed with no other purpose than to make me insane. He would bring to me to the brink of exploding and then back off to murmur in Spanish once more only to worship my body once more until speech was well past me and I could focus on nothing but the attention his fingers and mouth gave me.

Unable to control myself any longer when he tried to pull his face away the last time I reached down and grabbed his head effectively holding him in place. Fortunately he showed me mercy and thrust three fingers into me unexpectedly. I came the second they entered me and screamed out some barbaric sound of release.

Ranger left two fingers inside and moved them slowly to no apparent pattern as I began to relax. It took very little time before I began to feel my body respond to even this simple attention. My eyes opened and I saw he had moved onto the bed beside me and watching my face intently.

When I focused on his face he leaned forward and kissed me once more, withdrawing his fingers to move his hand up to my neck. Being with Ranger like this was not something I could get used to. Even his sweetest and most tender touch was bringing out a desire in me and despite the force of my last orgasm I found myself quickly wanting more.

Ranger's POV

Everything about Stephanie was turning me on. Her smell, the taste of her kisses, the feel of her skin. I simultaneously wanted to tenderly caress her and rip off my pants so I could take her hard and fast against the wall. The pressure was building too quickly for me to control it. I was concerned that when I finally did enter her I would come immediately. Touching her skin was only making it worse. I needed to do something different, quickly. Seeing the trust in her eyes and confirming it with a single question I stood up and spun her around. Her eyes were closed which only signaled the level of trust she had in me that she wasn't scared or worried about what I might do to her.

I had to laugh at her clumsy attempt to remove my cargos. In order to help us both I took over and was surprised at the speed with which she pushed them down. Apparently, she was as ready for this as I was. Before I could tell her what I wanted to do she grabbed me with her hand and claimed me as hers. "My God Stephanie, you'll be the death of me." I called out in Spanish unable to make my mouth translate so that she could understand.

Even feeling her teeth on me, I wasn't prepared for the sensation of her hot mouth sucking me in. My knees nearly buckled and even though I'd been in this position many times in my life, something about having Stephanie take charge was making the experience so much more than I was prepared for.

The sounds she made as she worked her mouth and hand together convinced me she was enjoying herself. But when her hand left my back and moved to grab my balls I knew I couldn't hold back any longer. "_Mother of God_," I grunted before my hips began to move in time to Stephanie's rhythm. With a final thrust I came in her mouth, holding onto her beautiful hair as though it could keep me standing despite feeling like I'd just given a huge part of myself to this amazing person in front of me.

My legs were shaking. The virus had been gone long enough that I knew this weakness was not from being ill, this was something entirely new for me. I knelt in front of Steph amazed at how much more encompassing being with her was now that we had spoken of how we felt. I kissed her and felt my body begin to respond once more. Of course, since she'd been kind enough to release the immediate pressure of my needs I knew I'd have the control to show her exactly how I felt.

I pushed her down on the bed and began to kiss her smooth and silky skin. I kept my eyes open to better see her and the contrast between our skin tones. There was a beauty in the differences between us and I loved the way we looked spread over each other, blending arms and legs as one. I made sure to place a kiss on her arm trying to hide my smile when I passed over her bicep where there was a single red dot as a mark from a needle. I knew it was probably from the useless vaccine Bobby had given her, but it reminded me that he also gave her a quarterly birth control shot. Ever since she was nearly abducted doing a distraction for RangeMan Bobby had taken it upon himself to provide protection for her. I knew I should offer to use a condom but the thought of us being truly together with nothing to separate us was all I could think of.

I could hear Steph's displeasure when I skipped her breasts. I already knew how responsive they were, but after giving them attention in the living room, I wanted to set my sights a little lower. Continuing to move down I could smell the desire coming from her. "All mine," I told her planting a series of kisses from the inside of her thigh back to her hip. I wasn't the least bit surprised to find her moist, but I never expected her to be literally dripping when my tongue first passed over her folds. "So wet," I commented both in pleasure and shock.

I used my fingers, tongue and teeth to bring her just to the edge of heaven before stroking her softly to back her away from the release she wanted. I could sense her frustration but I couldn't help myself. She responded so perfectly: vocally and physically to every attention I lavished on her that I couldn't stop from torturing her longer.

I must have pushed her too far though because the last time I tried to pull away she once again did the unexpected when she grabbed my head and held it to her core. I knew she wanted or needed to come and I couldn't withhold that pleasure any longer. I thrust three fingers into her and felt her muscles constrict the second I entered her. The strength of her grip on my hand caused my dick to pulse almost pleading for the chance to replace my hand.

She screamed a sound I'd never heard from her before and pushed against my hand. When I felt her muscles begin to relax I extracted one finger and allowed the other two to move gently but with no rhythm other than to keep the contact my body needed with hers. I laid down beside her and watched her face as she finally returned from the pleasure she had escaped to.

As soon as her eyes focused on mine I removed my hand from her center and moved it up to her neck to pull her face to me. I tried to keep the kiss gentle so that she would understand how adored she was. I wanted her to feel the love between us and understand that it extended way beyond the physical bond we shared. But my body betrayed me and I could not keep the sensual slow tenor of the kiss. Before I could regain my control Stephanie moved to hook a leg around my hip. My hand ran from her knee to her thigh and then back to her ass.

I was trying to move slowly to keep from scaring her with the fierceness of my desire but when she sucked my ear into her mouth and then lightly grazed it with her teeth I growled in return and then enveloped her in my arms to move us up on the bed. I knew I couldn't hold back much longer and when she used that breathy voice to whisper, "I love you," in my ear the dam of my famous control burst.

I flipped her onto her back, bent her other leg at the knee, and with no warning I pushed myself deep within her. I tried to tell her she felt like heaven but it came out as a growl that I hoped she would understand.

Stephanie's POV

When Ranger moved us up on the bed I hoped he wasn't planning on suggesting we rest for a while. I knew he was concerned about my recuperation but there was no way I could stop now. Despite having an orgasm that temporarily took away my vision, my body was still screaming for more. Every nerve in my body wanted Ranger's touch and there was nothing I wouldn't do to keep his hands on me.

He kissed me softly and I tried to let him set the tone between us but my hormones were racing and I couldn't hold back. My leg hooked around his hip without my willing it to do so. And when his hand caressed my skin moving from my knee back to my ass, I had to move away from his lips in order to take some deep breaths to stay in control. I moved to his neck and then up to ear. Unable to resist I nibbled the soft lobe and then whispered, "I love you." I was acting on pure instinct and for the first time ever saying the words felt empowering and freeing. I didn't feel like admitting my feelings was giving Ranger control and that realization started a soft hum in my stomach that I knew could only be satisfied by the gorgeous man beside me.

I was so relieved when he pushed me on my back and grabbed my left leg to hook around his other hip. I wasn't prepared for him to enter me with so much force but the feel of it nearly undid me so that I pressed my nails into his back as he growled out something that sounded like the word heaven.

For a few seconds neither of us were capable of movement. Once we had regained our senses a bit, he withdrew slightly and then smoothly thrusted back into me. He continued to move at the slow pace of a train working up a hill. Just as I was about to beg him to just give it to me, he straightened his arms at the elbows and pushed up from me causing my eyes to open at the distance between us.

"You feel it too?" He asked looking into my eyes as though he needed to find the answer more than I needed to say it.

I nodded my head yes understanding the way each movement he made away from me felt as though it were pulling my heart out with him and then each thrust back into me restored my core and filled me with love. The second he entered me we were both changed forever. We were bound in a way that I didn't fully understand but I knew it would drive us both to stop at nothing to maintain this connection. He was my other half. He was as vital to my existence now as my heartbeat.

Understanding all of this only drew me closer to him. There was so much I didn't understand, so much that I couldn't foresee but joined with him I was not afraid. We looked to each other clearly communicating all that we felt, but saying nothing. Words were unnecessary and would only get in the way.

Ranger's hand then moved from the bed at my shoulder to rest over my heart. "Te amo. Para siempre aquí está mi corazón."

With that confession he began to move once more, this time with the urgency that I felt. As our rhythm increased he lowered himself once more to kiss and touch me. Just as I thought I could stand no more he put an arm under me at my hips slightly changing the angle and allowing him to penetrate deeper. Three thrusts more and I screamed his name, clinging to him to keep from flying apart. The force of my orgasm caught me off guard and my muscles constricted around him in an attempt to hold him deep within me. Each exhale produced a sound from my throat and I could do nothing to prevent it, nor did I want to.

Ranger's POV

From the moment I entered Stephanie I knew something was different, something had changed. I assumed after our conversation yesterday and then again this morning that we had covered everything but until I entered her I had no idea just what we shared. There was a force pulling me to her and I was as powerless to fight it as gravity. I tried to move to a slow rhythm but each time I withdrew my heart ached as though any lack of contact would cause it to stop beating. I hadn't expected this, and despite how frightening it might sound I craved it even more.

I had to know if she felt it too so I pushed up to better read her face. "You feel it too?" I asked praying she knew what I meant because I knew I'd never be able to describe it. She shook her head yes, and I could tell she understood. There was no fear in her eyes. I was so thankful that her emotions were so clearly displayed on her face because at this moment I needed to know that she was as comfortable with this as I was. Her eyes had moisture in them, but the pool of tears did not spill onto her snowy cheeks. I continued to stare at her while my body began to tighten in anticipation.

I placed my hand over her heart and told her, "_I love you. Forever you are my heart_." I wanted to tell her in English but I could see that she understood enough that I didn't need to translate.

Instead I showed her by resuming the movement between our bodies, lowering myself to kiss her and letting my hand roam over her sweet skin. I tried to hold off so that we could come together but she was so tight and so hot that I couldn't fight it any longer. I tilted her hips up with my arm under her ass in order to get even deeper. It took only a few more movements before I felt my release explode within in.

"Ranger!" She shouted, scratching my back with her nails, the pain only enhancing my pleasure. Then her muscles tightened around me and I felt my orgasm strengthen in intensity forcing my eyes to close and my breath to hitch. I stayed still as wave after wave of pleasure rolled over me. She would relax only briefly before tightening once more which kept the feeling of satisfaction coming. I'd never had an orgasm continue like this and I relaxed enjoying the feel of her body and mine as one.

Slowly she began to unwind and her legs started to loosen from my hips. I pushed into her once more and felt her shiver from an aftershock. Unable to resist trying it again this time it was my body that felt the spark and I pulsed inside her. Stopping briefly to wonder how long the pleasure could remain it was Stephanie that brought me from my thoughts to reality by moving her hips against me and whispering, "More."

I couldn't believe she was asking for more. I knew I had a strong drive for sex. I chalked it up to having an abundance of testosterone which made me good at what I did. I had never expected a woman to have an equal level of desire; honestly, I didn't think it was possible. Hearing her ask for more hardened me back to steel.

Her hands moved from my back to my chest and she pushed against me like she wanted me to roll over. I tightened my grip on her hip and rolled us over maintaining the connection, unwilling to let it slip even for a second. When we stopped moving Stephanie's eyes opened once more and I instructed, "Show me." I didn't want to demand more of her body than she could give so I needed her to show me what she meant when she asked for more. Besides, the thought of her being in charge and sitting atop me had my body humming even more.

Stephanie's POV

I couldn't believe how long the tingling sensations of pleasure remained between us. When Ranger moved only slightly it was like someone was shocking me with electricity and I shivered. I could have sworn I felt him do the same thing and I knew I felt him pulsing inside me. Usually one orgasm, maybe two was all I got out of a night of sex with Joe. While I enjoyed it, I sometimes wanted more. I had always assumed I was a bit of a slut with such an appetite so I never said anything. Honestly I was afraid he would be insulted that I was implying I wasn't satisfied. But there was a feeling in the room between us of safety and security and I knew I could say anything to Ranger at this moment and he would understand.

I whispered, "More," when he stopped moving. While he never lost his erection I could feel him hardening even more inside me so I knew he was game for whatever I wanted. Pushing against his shoulders I was pleased when he rolled us over to let me be on top.

"Show me," He asked, surrendering beneath me. That single act of giving me control flipped a switch inside me. I was free to do anything I wanted to Ranger and the power was such a turn on.

My hands began to stroke his chest and while I roamed over his skin I told him, "Shut your eyes. Don't watch, just feel." He obeyed me immediately and my body reacted by tightening down around him inside me. A soft moan escaped from him letting me know he liked the way it felt to be squeezed so I lifted myself slightly in order to reach his ear and I traced the shell of his lobe with my tongue moving down to kiss his neck from under his ear to beneath his chin. As I moved down to his collarbone I lowered myself onto him once more and then tightened again around him.

"Se siente como que me extrae al cielo," Ranger groaned. I wanted to know what it meant, but I didn't want to break the spell of what was happening between us. I leaned back enough to run my fingers through his hair on the top and side of his head. His lips parted once more but no sound came out.

I continued to touch him, moving against his hips occasionally, and gripping him with my walls. There was nothing hurried or forceful about it but the tenderness of it moved me and the combination of feeling so exposed and so loved at the same time brought tears to my eyes. I didn't try to fight it and let them fall.

Of course Ranger felt the moisture on my face when I kissed him the next time and his eyes shot open. "Babe?" He asked only briefly wondering if something were wrong. I didn't have to say a word in explanation. "Happy tears?" He asked to verify his guess. I nodded as he used his thumbs to wipe the tears away. "A lifetime of those," He promised to me.

I braced myself with my palms on his chest and began to move in earnest looking in his eyes. I had been a sex in the dark, eyes closed kind of girl, but being able to see Ranger's reaction as well as feeling it added an erotic edge to making love. However, looking in his eyes and maintaining the connection in that way was entirely new to me and I craved more. I tried to keep my fingers still, not wanting to give him a set of scratches on his chest to match the ones I had undoubtedly left on his back, but the desire building in me was hard to control and I knew my nails were digging into him anyway.

I was trying to hold back, to wait for him so that we could finish together once more, but I didn't think I had much more control left in me. I was overwhelmed and the depths of his dark eyes were drawing me in so that I was losing myself in him. I was so focused on his gaze and the tension building that I didn't notice his hand move until his thumb landed on my clit. The mild pressure followed by a circular motion was all it took and my nails dug in his skin and my hips bucked forward.

In the back of my mind I thought I heard Ranger growl my name but keeping my hold on consciousness took all my focus as the tension left and pleasure took its place. We continued to move in a slow way, extending the release and maintaining the connection. As my body began to return to me I felt exhausted and didn't even try to fight my collapse onto his chest.

My pillow shook with silent laughter before he asked, "Babe, you okay?"

I nodded and waited for an exhale to reply, "I'm good."

"I think you're selling yourself short. That was a hell of a lot better than just good." He rebutted with a soft chuckle.

"Smartass," I replied joining in his laughter even though I still couldn't move.

His arms came around me and his hands slowly moved up and down my back. I moaned softly feeling truly content. I couldn't have opened my eyes even if my life depended on it. Somehow I had used all the energy my body had stored from the sleeping marathon of yesterday. Maybe if I took another nap we could try for round two.

That thought put a smile on my face and as pure instinct I clamped down the muscles still holding Ranger inside me. Sleep came quickly with dreams of pleasure and love.

Ranger's POV

Everything she was doing was driving me crazy. The way she would move to touch me and then slide back down and tighten around me was the sweetest torture I'd ever endured. I'd never felt anything like this, it was like she was using the walls of her pussy to massage my dick and each time she gripped me I thought I would lose it and drive into her. I was trying with all I had to hold back. This was her chance to be in control and I could tell from the way she moved and the soft sounds she made that she was enjoying it. I doubted she had the chance to be this assertive in the past and I wanted to give her every opportunity to explore this side of herself.

When she moved down to kiss me again I felt moisture on my face and could taste the salt of tears. I was alarmed and my eyes shot open. "Babe?" I asked hoping she would tell me if something was wrong. I searched her face and knew immediately that she was not upset. If anything her eyes held joy, and her blue eyes were nearly as black as mine with desire so I relaxed and asked if they were happy tears. She nodded to confirm what I guessed and I gently wiped them away. She was radiant right now, softly lit behind her with the light from the hall. I could easily picture forever with her. "A lifetime of those," I promised her hoping she understood I was pledging to do everything I could to give her all the joy possible.

Her hands moved to my chest and I could tell from the tension as her fingers pressed against me that the mood was about to shift. Gone was the slow torturous movement and in its place was a faster harder pace that was chipping away at my ability to hold back for her. Looking into her eyes was pulling me to her and when her nails began to dig into my chest I didn't think I could hold out much longer.

I moved my hand to her swollen clit and pressed my thumb there before moving it in tiny circles. Her lips parted and I vaguely registered new scratches on my chest. The fact that our love making could make her lose control like this only increased my pleasure.

Her hips bucked forward and I used my free hand to hold her down firmly in place on me. My own release came as her name flew from my mouth. Our frantic movements were replaced by slower ones and I watched as her eyes lost focus and she literally collapsed on my chest.

I could feel her breathing so I wasn't worried. Instead I found it funny that her energy just completely gave out. I shouldn't have been surprised; it was probably adrenaline alone that spurred her on that long. She was not fully recovered yet and I remembered my own energy stores needing time to rebuild over a few days.

I couldn't help but tease her and when she told me she was "good" I quickly corrected her that she was far past just good. She called me a smartass which only brought on more laughter. I remembered thinking how rarely I laughed in the morning and I was suddenly struck with the truth that I never remembered laughing after sex with a woman. But with Stephanie it was right. It was honest and happiness was as much a part of who we were together as any other emotion.

Her breathing began to even out and I knew she was going to sleep. We were still joined together and I thought I heard her mumble something about round two. Even with my sexual appetite I needed a little break to regroup so I was more than glad to join her in a nap before finding out how serious she was about another round.

Of course before sleep came, her muscles tightened around me again. I didn't know if she was even aware that she was doing it but the pressure immediately stopped the sleep that had been coming as my body began to respond to her sounds and subtle movements. She was apparently having one hell of a dream and I was going to lay here and live it with her. I hoped she would understand if I was too drained to participate in round two after all.


	16. Back to RealityAgain

_JE's Characters…she deserves all the credit._

_Jenn (perfectmanhattan) you have been so wonderful to walk with me as the Beta on this story. I'm sorry for getting impatient lately and posting before you've had a chance to perform your magic._

**Chapter 16 – Back to Reality…Again**

_Stephanie's POV_

I woke up slowly and realized the side of my face was wet. When I moved my hand to figure out why I learned it was because in my unending grace I had managed to produce a puddle of drool on Ranger's chest and it was sticking to my cheek. There was no way I could talk my way out of this so I prayed Ranger was still asleep and lifted my head to wipe my cheek on my shoulder. Blinking my eyes hoping for my ability to focus to resurface, I eventually noticed there was still a little slimy place on the skin that had been my pillow.

Before I could pull the sheet up to dry Ranger's chest it began to shake telling me God was definitely punishing me for skipping mass for the last few weeks…okay years.

"Are you really awake this time?" Ranger asked taking away my ability to pretend he wasn't seeing me at my absolute worst.

"If I say no will you ignore the way I look right now and let me sneak into the shower?" I asked him unable to look at his face.

His bent index finger pulled at my chin forcing me to look up at him. His hair was loose and wasn't silky smooth like it usually was. His face had stubble on it making him look more dangerous than usual. He definitely wasn't all pulled together like I was used to seeing, but I still thought he looked drop dead sexy and if I hadn't needed to use the bathroom so urgently I would definitely start working on the hard mass pressing on my thigh.

"After yesterday afternoon, and last night do you think I give a shit about how you look right now?" He pressed.

We had made love in the afternoon until I literally collapsed on his chest. Several times during the night I remember waking in various positions and one or the other of us would initiate contact and we would repeat again the activities from earlier. The last memory I had was of falling down on his chest at five this morning after attacking Ranger, who had been sleeping, and riding him for yet another orgasm. I swore I wouldn't be able to walk today and when I moved my legs to try and sit up now, the soreness of my muscles told me that might not have been an exaggeration.

I licked my lips watching his mouth move while he spoke. That only made him smile and say, "You'd think after last night we'd be unable to even think about sex."

I felt my face warm as I blushed at his words. When my voice came to me I replied, "I can definitely think about it, but I'm not sure my body can cooperate yet."

He easily pulled me closer to him and kissed me good morning. I ran my thumb over the stubble on his jaw and felt that now familiar warmth begin to build just as he pulled back. "How about a shower to help wake you up? The warm water might help with the sore muscles too."

I nodded thinking he was right about the water and remembered that would give me a chance to get rid of the drool dried on my face. Now all I had to do was figure out how to stand up.

Ranger must have sensed my struggle as he shifted me off of him and stood up first before leaning down and helping me up. I was struck at how violently the room spun when he pulled me to my feet. While I didn't want to admit to not being strong enough to stand I didn't have a choice because I couldn't let go of his hands.

"Babe?" He asked seeing my struggle to stay upright.

"I'm just a little dizzy. I think the lack of food and the night of horizontal exercise is catching up with me," I tried to joke to relieve his concern.

He relaxed a little at my explanation before replying, "How about we tackle the shower together. Once you're up for a while you may begin to get your legs under you better."

He led me to the bathroom and then gave me a few minutes alone to answer nature's call while he stripped the bed. I would have objected to him taking the sheets off, but I was pretty sure it needed to be done and right now I didn't think I could function while bending over.

I turned on the water for the shower and had to sit on the edge of the tub to keep from falling over. I felt like my legs were getting stronger the longer I was up but the vertigo was a real problem. Maybe after breakfast it would settle down.

Ranger came in once the water started running. He adjusted the temperature and helped me under the spray. I closed my eyes and moaned right away from the feel of the steamy rain on my back. Ranger laughed and warned me, "Babe, if you don't cut that out I'll be forced to test your theory that your body wouldn't cooperate."

Feeling his hands on me with a washcloth of shower gel I tried to relax and just enjoy the moment. He worked silently and was very thorough in getting me clean. I'm sure he was just trying to care for me, but the attention he gave between my legs either meant I was particularly dirty there or he was already beginning to see about the state of my body's cooperation.

We switched places and I leaned against the cool tiles hoping they would calm down my hormones, but not feeling much of a difference. I loved the way his body moved and how his muscles rippled and twisted with every movement. I realized he was about to wash his hair so when his hand reached for the shampoo I took it from him and said, "Let me,"

_Ranger's POV_

When Stephanie took the shampoo from my hand I smiled at her desire to care for me. I was a lucky man to have a woman like her who not only wanted me but that wanted to give of herself to care for me too. Her hands touched my hair and as she scrubbed, and then massaged I began to feel my body responding. I thought I was prepared for the reaction from the last time she'd washed my hair, but after what we shared last night it felt even more intimate than I remembered.

I took a rare moment to just relax and not try to analyze the way it felt. Instead I took a page from Stephanie's book and just enjoyed it. When she moved her hands from my now clean hair to my cock I knew she understood just how much I enjoyed it.

As it turned out Steph's body was very cooperative and after hearing my name echo off the tiles of the bathroom wall I shut off the now cold shower and helped to dry her off. I noticed her wobble and she seemed to shut her eyes anytime she made a fast movement. I was worried and decided if her dizziness didn't improve after some breakfast I was calling Bobby. I knew she'd been fever free for twenty four hours now based on my own internal thermometer.

I gave her some privacy to get dressed and fix her hair while I tried to figure out what food would replenish her energy reserves quickly. I made her an omelet with cheese and ham and grabbed some blended yogurt hoping the sugar would give her a quick fix while her body was processing the protein from the rest of her meal.

I endured her eating breakfast with all the sounds of appreciation she was known for. Since she was lost in her own world I sat back and watched her. I was amazed at how easy it was to be with her like this. After last night I was even more convinced we were perfectly matched to one another. To think she had an appetite and willingness for sex that rivaled my own made me the luckiest bastard at Haywood. The guys were already jealous of our undefined relationship because they all recognized what a unique woman she was, but if they ever knew just how amazing she was I'd be calling them to the mats on a regular basis. Hopefully the increase in activity in the bedroom would help to keep me in shape because I wasn't sure I could complete a ten mile run this morning.

When she sat back and pushed away from the plate I brought up the subject we needed to discuss but I had been putting off. "Babe, I think you're now officially a free woman. You've been symptom free for a while so there is no reason for you to stay shut up in your apartment."

Her face went from contentment to sorrow as soon as I finished speaking. She saw the question on my face and explained, "I know this isn't real; life confined in my little apartment isn't a real existence, but I've loved being here alone with you and I'm worried about what it will be like when you go back to your life and I go back to mine."

The honesty of her confession humbled me. I took her hand in mine and assured her, "We aren't going back to separate lives. I can't do it."

The relief on her face was evident immediately. "Then how will this work?" She wondered.

"I think we should go somewhere for lunch and while we're gone I'm going to have someone come and clean and disinfect your apartment. We've both recovered but I don't want to risk anyone else getting this who visits you in the next few days." I began, pleased that she didn't get up in arms over the idea of a stranger cleaning her home.

"I need to check in at Haywood and begin to ease back into the control of RangeMan and I had hoped you might want to work there a little today and see the guys." She smiled when I mentioned the guys and I tried not to think about why she would be so happy to see them. "After we're done at the office, it should be time for dinner and I'd love it if you'd join me on seven."

"And then after dinner?" She asked not giving anything away about what she wanted to have happen.

"Then after dinner we'll figure out where we're going to stay for the night. I don't care where we sleep, but I need to be with you tonight." I told her hoping she would understand how hard a confession like that was to make out loud.

The smile on her face assured me she did. Her soft fingers traced the stubble on my jaw and she said, "I'm so glad to hear you say that. After last night I can't explain what's different, but I don't think sleep will come unless you're near me."

I put my hand over hers to hold it to my face and we sat at her table in silence. The ringing of her house phone broke the spell so I jumped up and brought it to her. She made a face at the caller ID which showed her mother but she answered it anyway and I took that as my cue to give her some space and make the arrangements to leave once she got off the phone.

_Stephanie's POV_

"Hi Mom," I barely got out before she began speaking.

"Stephanie Plum, I've put up with you blowing off the dinners I've invited you to, but I got a visit from Joseph yesterday and he implied that you refused to let him in your apartment and were locked in having sex with those men you work with. Do you realize what you've done? How could you throw away your last chance at happiness and do something so reckless? I didn't raise you to behave this way young lady!"

I couldn't help myself, I began to laugh. I could deny most of what Joe had said to my mother, but I couldn't exactly come out and tell her the truth either.

"What is so funny?" She demanded when my laughter interrupted her head of steam.

"I didn't let Joe in my apartment for the same reason I haven't been coming by for dinner." I told her.

"And what reason is that?" She pushed.

"I had…" I paused wondering how to explain my illness before stretching it and saying, "I had a horrible case of the flu and I couldn't get out of bed. My fever spiked and for several days I was completely out of it."

"But it isn't flu season, it's still fall," She said with her tone softening slightly.

"I know, maybe because I got it so early that explains why it was so severe," I stretched the truth a little more.

"Why didn't you call me, I would have taken care of you. You know how you get when you run a fever." She reminded me. Ever since I was little my body had a hard time adjusting to having a fever. I didn't get sick often, but when I did it was usually a long drawn out affair.

"I didn't have time to call you, it came on suddenly and I passed out on my kitchen floor." I figured at this point the more truth I gave her the sooner she would relax.

"You were unconscious on your kitchen floor for days?" She asked suspiciously.

"No, one of the guys from the office came by when I missed work and found me. He called Ranger and he came over to take care of me." That sounded possible and since it was accurate I figured it was the right version to give her.

"That big man stayed in your apartment and took care of you?" She asked in a tone that told me she didn't believe a word I was saying.

"He did. This morning marked twenty-fours without a fever so I am now free to try going out, but after being sick for nearly a week I don't have much energy. I was going to work at my desk for a little while and then gradually work up to my old routine." I explained with a little irritation in my voice that my own mother didn't seem to believe me.

"Is he still there?" She jumped in to ask.

"Who?" I was confused by her question.

"The man who supposedly took care of you," She responded reinforcing the idea that she didn't believe a word I was saying.

"Yes. He's shaving in the bathroom," I admitted, suddenly wishing I was in there watching him. I remembered the last time he did that when I watched him run the razor over his skin in practiced strokes and the simplicity of the act that gradually revealed the face I loved.

"I would like to speak to him," She said in a clipped tone.

Now this was a dilemma. Clearly my mother didn't believe me and producing someone on the phone to verify my story would go a long way in shutting her up. But the flip side was that I was a grown woman and I didn't need anyone to corroborate my whereabouts, especially to my mother.

"I don't think so," I replied making my decision quickly.

"What? Stephanie, if everything is as you said it was, then put him on the phone and I'll invite him for dinner to thank him for all the time he wasted doing the chore that should have fallen to your family." She explained.

"I have told you the truth. You're ability to believe me or not is out of my hands. The bigger issue is that when I needed someone to take care of me Ranger dropped everything to help me because he loves me and wanted to show that by doing anything he could to care for me. You on the other hand would have gone through the motions, not out of love, but out of obligation. Frankly, I think I would have received more tender care from a paid nursing assistant than you. So you are the last person that needs to invite Ranger for dinner to thank him for doing your work. You can take me off your list of chores. I'm not your obligation anymore." And with that tirade, I hung up the phone. I took a few deep breaths but it did nothing to calm me down.

Finally I threw the phone across the floor and felt slightly better when it hit the wall and crashed into pieces on the floor. At least now I didn't have to worry about her calling back. Of course Ranger heard the sound and came back wearing only his cargos which he had zipped up but were not buttoned at the top. I knew it would only take a little pull on either side of the zipper and it would release him in all his glory.

When I let my eyes run a little higher and focused on his face I saw the concern at what happened to make me break my phone and I realized that was probably not the wisest move I could have made. Ranger closed the distance between us quickly and knelt in front of me, pushing my hair away from my face to ask what happened.

I gave him a quick run down of the conversation with my mother and couldn't help but notice he went from concerned, to angry and eventually to his blank face, which I now realized was worse than being angry. If what he was feeling was strong enough that he felt the need to hide it from me then I new it was bad.

He was quiet for a few moments with his lips tightly drawn. I knew he was thinking and wished he would hurry up and get to a conclusion because I hated being shut out from what was going on in his head.

_Ranger's POV_

I knew most people would not understand what Stephanie and I shared. Hell, we'd just begun to experience it ourselves and even I couldn't explain it. But I did expect that those closest to us would be happy that we were together when they understood how it impacted our lives. I didn't believe Stephanie's mother would throw her arms open and accept me like she did Joe, but I didn't expect her to basically deny that I had been caring for her daughter. Nor did fully realize what a bitch that woman truly was until she compared what I did for Steph to an inconvenient obligation.

I already held a medical power of attorney for Stephanie because of her employment at RangeMan, but I made a mental note to call my attorney and have him double check it to be sure there was no way her family could needle their way into making decisions for Steph ever again.

Since the moment Stephanie first walked in the diner I felt a need to protect her and listening to the conversation with her mother brought that urge back in a primal way. Finally I shook my head to clear it and asked, "Are you ready to head out?"

She glanced down at her outfit, which I thought was perfect because the shirt she was wearing was a deep shade of blue and it made her eyes even more piercing as a compliment to the shade. Of course her jeans were snug and hung to the curves I loved so I thought she was fine as she was.

She sighed apparently not agreeing with me fully but finally said, "Let me just grab some shoes and I'll be ready to go."

I held out a hand and guided her to the bedroom. When I glanced back at her I saw her eyes were hazy and my concern for her condition grew. In the back of my mind the words from the information Bobby printed out about the possible side effects from the virus if it wasn't controlled included permanent vertigo issues. I couldn't bear the thought of her having to deal with this forever. I picked up her sneakers and saw her smirk at my shoe choice. I didn't want her in heels until I felt confident she wouldn't fall.

"Relax," I told her kneeling in front of her to put on her shoes. "Even though you're in running shoes no one will actually expect you to exercise."

"I'll wear them but only if you promise there won't be any attempts to make me run," She teased back taking over the job of tying her shoes. When she was finished she looked around her bedroom and a look of sadness crossed her face. I knew what she was feeling. We had finally come to terms with who were in this bedroom. And even though we were leaving it together, it was still hard to let that time go.

I got her attention by saying, "Let's go grab some lunch so that you have enough energy to keep up tonight without collapsing on me again."

She hit my shoulder softly pretending to be insulted, "You know I don't remember you being full of energy either. At some point you will have to admit that I wore you out just as much as you did me."

Although it was true, I couldn't let it go without responding, "I'm not sure I'm willing to make that concession yet. Maybe tonight we can try again and see if we get the same results before I admit to anything."

She stood up and grabbed two fists of my shirt to pull me to her. Laying a kiss on me I opened my mouth and pulled her tongue to me greedily demanding more. Maybe in time I would get used to kissing Stephanie with the idea that she was mine, but for now it still had an immediate effect on me and I knew if we didn't leave soon the crew coming to clean her apartment would get one hell of a show.

We pulled back, both struggling to regain control of our breathing as she said, "If we can wait that long, then I'll gladly participate in any studies you want to tryout."

I growled in response and took her hand in mine to return to the real world.

_Stephanie's POV_

Ranger and I rode in silence in the elevator to the ground floor where his Turbo was waiting by the front door. We drove for a while until we got to the diner where we first met and I smiled at his choice of location for our lunch.

We sat at a booth instead of the counter and I was surprised when he took my hand on top of the table and held it in his own. I had assumed public displays would be unacceptable for some reason so the action caught me off guard and it must have shown on my face.

"I'm done fighting Babe. You're mine, and I want to be sure the rest of the world knows it. If you have a problem with me touching you in public then tell me, but otherwise, I'm not hiding what you mean to me." He explained.

My grip on his hand tightened as his words mirrored how I felt. I had to clear my throat in order to find my voice to reply. "I want you to touch me and I want to be able to touch you too. It means a lot to know that it's okay with you and we don't have to hide from anybody. Honestly, I'm not sure I could do it."

He gave me half a smile as the waitress dropped off our lunch. After we finished eating we made it back to the car and I expected him to take us to the office so when he turned in the opposite direction I asked where we were headed.

He looked at me when he stopped at the light. "We're going to see your mother." He said before turning back to look at the road. With his eyes looking forward he continued to explain his intent. "I don't want to interfere in your family dynamics, but the way she treated you on the phone was unacceptable. I want to help her understand how I feel about her daughter and hopefully she will come to understand this is something to celebrate. But if she chooses to continue insulting you I need to let her know how I feel about that too."

As he finished talking we arrived at my parent's house and I felt like the lunch I just ate might have been a mistake.

He picked up on my nervousness and said, "Relax, Babe. I'll be on my best behavior," before he got out of car to come around and open my door.

"You don't have to do this," I told him when he took my hand to help me out of the car.

He put his thumb on my cheek and rubbed it softly. "Yes, I do."

Taking my hand we walked up the steps to my parents' house and before I could ring the bell the front door opened and Grandma Mazur stood there smiling. "Well ain't this a pip; fancy seeing the two of you here."

"Ms. Mazur," Ranger said as a greeting when she opened the door further for us to pass by her. I couldn't help but smile when Ranger walked in first so that I was between Grandma and his rear end. Clearly this man was always aware of his surroundings.

"Helen," Grandma called out as we walked to the kitchen. "Stephanie and the hot bounty hunter are here."

My mother came from the kitchen wiping her hands on the half apron tied at her waist. "Stephanie," She said in an overly sweet voice. "Why didn't you tell me you were stopping by so that I could have some refreshments ready?"

I recognized that question from the typical Burg housewife cover story. You act as though you were completely caught off guard and then run into the kitchen to quickly just throw something together. In reality you have a real spread in your pantry ready at a moment's notice to impress any visitor.

"Actually," Ranger stepped forward, "I suggested we stop by. I knew Stephanie wanted to see you and I wanted to talk to you alone if you have a moment."

Clearly my mother had not expected him to say that but she covered it up with minimal stumbling. "Of course, Stephanie, your father is in the den, why don't you go say hello, while…I'm sorry, I don't know your name." She said refusing to refer to him as Ranger despite my introducing him to her on multiple occasions.

"Carlos, ma'am," He replied with his manners rising to the challenge my mother threw at him.

"Right, while Carlos and I get some snacks." She finally finished her thoughts.

I looked at Ranger mentally wondering if he was okay to face my mother alone in her lair of the kitchen. He kissed me at my temple allowing his lips to remain there when he asked, "Are you okay to make it to the den?" Apparently he was more aware of my balance issues than I thought.

I looked at Grandma and smiled, "Yea, I think I can manage. Good luck in the kitchen."

He left me standing there wondering if he'd ever faced an adversary as ruthless as the one currently strategizing with home field advantage behind the swinging door. I must have stood there too long because Grandma came over and took my hand in hers. "I'm glad you stopped by," She said as we started walking to where my dad had a game on. "It's always more exciting when you're here."

_Ranger's POV_

I walked in the kitchen and saw Mrs. Plum busying herself pulling food together on a tray. I knew it was a cover to hide her nervousness at being alone with me and I backed off my original plan of how to approach this conversation. I would offer her the chance to soften her words from this morning in the hope she would pick up on my protectiveness of her daughter.

I sat on a stool in front of the bar where she was placing cups for tea on a tray. "Mrs. Plum, I'm worried about Stephanie."

She stopped working immediately and looked at me. "Why? What's wrong?"

I knew I'd made the right decision. I believed she was genuinely concerned about Stephanie which made it easier to relate to her. "She was very sick when I came to look over her. The virus she had caused her to run a very high fever and maintain it for several days."

Mrs. Plum started wiping her hands on her apron again even though they were perfectly clean. "How high was her fever?"

"When I checked it during her last spike it was a hundred and four." I confessed.

Her eyes grew immediately wide and she asked, "Did it spike quickly or did it go up gradually?" She pressed.

"It would go up suddenly. She would be sleeping peacefully and then I'd notice her getting restless and when I'd check, it would be high already." I said wondering why she was asking.

She put her hands on the bar between us and looked down at them. "When Stephanie was little she was always very healthy, which was fortunate because the few times she became ill it was usually severe and very difficult for her to recover from. The doctor told me once that for people like Stephanie the risk is that their bodies are unaccustomed to having a fever and damage can be done if a fever rises too quickly not giving her internal systems a chance to adjust. We had to watch her very carefully and act the second she began to feel sick to prevent her from suffering permanent damage."

She then looked up at me and finished, "I don't doubt that you did your best, but Stephanie needed specialized care that you were probably not told to give her."

I leveled with her and described what it was like alone with Steph when she was at her worst. I told her about the baths, and the basin of water and noticed her nodding and agreeing with what I'd done.

Finally she said, "It sounds like you did everything you could. Why are you still worried about Stephanie?"

"She's dizzy. She won't admit to it, but I can see it in her eyes when she moves and if she's not holding on to something when she walks she is off balance and has fallen." I told her hoping that would also provide an explanation for the fading bruises on her face. "I don't know if it's just a side effect from the illness that will fade or if it's damage from the fever."

Mrs. Plum considered what I said for a minute before saying, "I would bet it's a combination of the fever and not eating for several days. It can take her a week, or sometimes more to return to normal after being sick like that. Maybe we can convince her to stay here for a while so that I can look after her until she is stable again." She looked uncertain as she suggested it as though she knew it was a bad idea.

"I appreciate your advice, but I don't think Stephanie would accept your help right now. I can continue keep an eye on her but I wasn't sure if the dizziness was something you'd seen in her before." I quickly responded.

"Not the way you're describing, but it makes sense for what she's been through." She replied. "If Stephanie will let you help her then that would probably be for the best. I'll warn you though; she's stubborn and won't admit when she needs help."

I had to smile at the truth in those words, "I think we have a system worked out for that." I didn't offer to explain that the system was that I would just keep my hands on her as much as possible until I was sure she was stable.

"May I ask you a question, Carlos?" Mrs. Plum asked with a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

"Sure," I answered curious what she would want to know.

"Why were you the one to take care of my daughter?" She wondered.

I wasn't sure if the rest of her question was why I did it instead of her, but I decided to answer it fully anyway. "I love your daughter with all that I am. I would stop at nothing to care for her in any way she will let me. It has taken us a long time of denying how we feel but now that we've come together there is nothing that will keep me from her side." I wondered if she understood that included her.

Mrs. Plum looked at me weighing my words for a few moments before asking, "You aren't really a criminal are you?"

I laughed out loud at her question that time. "No, I'm not a criminal. I got into some trouble when I was younger, but it was nothing that my mother and grandmother couldn't work out. I make a living ridding the community of criminals, Mrs. Plum, not cavorting with them."

"In that case, we'll be having a nice roast for dinner tomorrow night at 6:00. There's no reason to dress up for dinner, but I expect you on time so that it doesn't delay when we sit down and dry out the roast." She said. I had to assume the invitation was her way of accepting me as a part of Stephanie's life.

I wasn't sure if the olive branch would extend to Stephanie as well, but I hoped as her mother saw us together she might be able to see her daughter for the wonderful and strong woman she was. If not, I now had the confidence to show up in her kitchen again for a very different kind of discussion.


	17. Adjusting

_The usual applies…the character's aren't mine. JE created them and gets all the credit._

**Chapter 17 - Adjusting**

_Ranger's POV_

Steph was quiet for most of the ride back to Haywood. I gave her the gist of my conversation with her mother and she seemed uncertain of how to respond. On the one hand she wanted to believe her mother was concerned about her and attribute her rudeness to worry. But on the other hand the words her mother used on the phone had hurt and she was having a hard time letting go of that pain. The relationship with her family had been a complicated one for her entire life and a single conversation in the kitchen wasn't going to change that all at once.

When we pulled into the garage at Haywood I shut off the Turbo and took Stephanie's hand, bringing it up to my mouth. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, but I had trouble believing her. "Yea, I will be. I'm just not sure what to make of my mother, and after wasting so much time over the years worrying about her reactions I'd rather just think about something else for a while."

I smiled at her admission of wanting to be distracted and replied, "Then you're in luck because in about five seconds the guys are about to open that door and you'll have a hard time thinking about anything but them."

Her head spun around and the hurt that had covered her face was now completely replaced with joy as Lester reached the passenger side first and opened her door. Tank was right behind him and pulled Stephanie out. I didn't have time to warn him to keep his hands on her but it appeared there were enough arms swarming her to keep her upright.

For the most part she was hugged and passed from one guy to the next. I couldn't help but notice when Vince handed her to Cal his hug lasted longer than the others and he whispered something in her ear that made her blush and then laugh. Whatever he said, she agreed to and they talked easily in their own little world for a few minutes with his hands on her waist.

I began to make my way over to them. I figured this was as good a time as any to set the record straight in front of the guys. This was my woman, and they could be friends with her, support and encourage her, but in the end she was mine and they needed to understand and respect that boundary.

I walked to where they were standing and easily pulled Stephanie from Cal so that she was leaning back against my chest with my hands on her hips holding her to me. A few of the others welcomed her back and then the crowd thinned to just Tank, Lester and Cal who clearly had something to say.

Before they could speak Stephanie asked, "Where's Bobby? He hasn't gotten sick has he?"

Lester filled her in that Gina had given birth the day she got sick and that Bobby was spending time with his fiancé and their baby daughter, Isabelle. Steph turned around to face me and I kept an arm on her steadying her movement.

"We need to get them a present," She announced as though this were an urgent matter of national security.

"Relax Babe, anytime one of the guys has a kid they get a bonus from RangeMan to cover whatever they need. He's been taken care of." I informed her.

She rolled her eyes and then closed them briefly. "I'm sure Isabelle loves drooling on the money her Dad's boss gave her." The sarcasm was dripping from her words. "We need to give them a gift for her as a personal welcome to the world. I need to go shopping."

I looked at her trying to figure out how to make that happen. Tank's face told me we needed to talk; something had come up so I knew I needed to go upstairs and get up to speed but I also knew Stephanie couldn't go shopping by herself in her condition.

She must have picked up on my delay because she said, "I don't need a babysitter, I'll be fine. I can just go to Babies R Us, grab a cart and find something there."

"No!" Les, Cal and Tank all responded at once.

Now I was curious about what was going on. Cal spoke first, "How about I take you shopping. There's a fancy little store a half mile from the mall that has lots of baby stuff and I'm sure you can find something there that would better fit the bill since the daughter of Bobby Brown isn't going to be your typical kid."

It was a nice cover story but I could see that he was trying to steer her to a place that was easier to secure and that would have a smaller crowd. Something was definitely up and it concerned Stephanie's safety so I needed to know about it - now. I would have preferred Lester take her shopping but I couldn't make that switch now that Cal had volunteered. It wasn't that I trusted Lester more with her safety; it was that I didn't want her spending so much time alone with Cal. He was a nice guy and I guess a piece of me was worried that Stephanie would think so too.

Steph looked at me with hope painted on her face. "Ranger? How about it? Cal and I can go shopping and catch up while you go to work. When I get back I'll run some searches and wait for you to have dinner."

It sounded like a good plan so I shook my head and tried to hide how I really felt about it. She turned to face Cal and he asked, "Are you ready to have the time of your life with me, Angel?"

The nickname did it. I stepped between him and Steph and narrowed my eyes clearly letting him know I wasn't happy about his question. If anyone was going to show her the time of her life, it would be me, not him. I felt Steph's hand on my arm but ignored it. I was seeing red and right now it was totally focused on Cal. I could hear her voice but it wasn't completely cutting through until she said my name.

"Carlos!" She practically screamed.

I turned and faced her and she grabbed my hand to pull me away from the guys. "What in the hell was that?" She asked with an equal mix of concern and temper. This was a part of why I hadn't done relationships in the past. It was too confusing to deal with jealousy as an emotion. I channeled it as anger because that was something I knew how to manage. Of course this time, it got away from me.

I put my hand on her cheek but she didn't respond to my touch as I'd hoped. "I'm sorry Babe. I know you're friends with the guys and I want that for you, but something in the way Cal treats you is different and it set me off. I just wanted to be clear about who you belonged to."

"Belong to?" She asked with an edge to her voice. "Who do I belong to? Whose responsibility am I now?" She asked with the edge quickly falling into full blown temper.

Clearly I'd said the wrong thing. I took my hand away and used it to pinch the bridge of my nose. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Then you need to explain exactly how you mean it. It was only a day and half ago that we agreed that trust needed to be the basis of our relationship. I'm yours by my choice, not by your divine right. You don't get to boss me around and dictate my movements. You have to tell me when something bothers you and then trust me to consider what you need in how I behave. But you can't pull shit like that with the guys one minute and then threaten them if they don't give their all to protect me the next. Pick a set of rules and play by them." She threatened.

"Babe, I'm sorry. This is new and I do trust you. I've got to figure out why Cal seems to push my buttons more than the other guys but in the meantime, I hope you'll forgive me. I'll make it right with Cal and get a grip." I conceded quietly.

She closed the distance between us and put her hand on my cheek before speaking, "That's all I ask. I'll talk to Cal too. I want to be sure he understands that we're just friends so there are no misunderstandings."

I shut my eyes for a second and absorbed the love I felt where her hand was touching my skin, then my eyes popped open with a sudden memory.

"What?" She asked curious what just triggered my shift in behavior.

"To get my attention, what did you say?" I asked already knowing the answer but wanting to hear it again.

She blushed and looked down briefly. Then she lifted her head and looked me in the eye. The shift in how she was presenting herself was sexy as hell. "I tried to get your attention but you weren't listening so I called 'Ranger' when you still didn't respond. Finally I yelled Carlos, because that's what you told my mother to call you."

I took a step closer to her causing her to back up against an SUV in the garage. "Say it again," I commanded while holding her hands in mine.

She gave me a half smile apparently picking up on the fact that I liked hearing my name on her lips. "Carlos."

I lifted her arms over her head and pressed them against the windows of the Explorer. Then I lowered my mouth to her and kissed her with everything I had in me. My tongue demanded entrance into her mouth and she allowed the force of my passion to lead us both. When I broke the kiss I kept my face and body touching her as I spoke, "Do I need to tell you what it does to me to hear you say my name?"

She smirked, obviously pleased with herself and replied, "You don't need to tell me but I could be convinced to let you show me later tonight."

I dropped her hands where I'd pinned them over her head and framed her face gently with my hands. "Go shopping, get anything and everything you want and when you get back, go straight up to seven. I have to meet with the guys and do a few things, but when I get upstairs I want to know that you are there and that you are waiting for me. I intend to show you all night long how much I love hearing you scream my name."

With that I kissed her once more, gently this time as a reminder to us both how much I loved her. As I stepped back I kept a hand on her neck and used my other one to reach back and grab my wallet. She seemed to understand what I was doing and began to object. "I'm not going to spend your money."

"This time, I want you to use this card this time." I pleaded with her. "You are getting a gift for the baby of one of my closest friends and I want you to get what you want regardless of price. If you manage to find a place to get something to wear tonight too that's all the better."

"You do realize you just told me to go lingerie shopping with Cal, right?" She teased me.

I put the card in her hip pocket and raised an eyebrow at her. "Trust, right?"

She nodded and put her hand on mine, "Right."

_Stephanie's POV_

Ranger kept my hand in his as we walked over to the guys still standing there obviously at a loss as to what just happened. Honestly, I was a little confused myself, but I think the gist was that Ranger, or I guess Carlos, was human after all. And as it turns out he's capable of jealousy.

Without letting go of Ranger's hand I looked at Cal and said, "I'm ready to go shopping now, if you're still willing to take me."

He smiled a little and nodded before pointing to his truck and climbing in the driver's side. Ranger handed me up in my seat, but before he shut the door he put a possessive hand on my knee and said to Cal, "I'm sorry about before, man. It's been an intense few days and I'm a little overprotective still."

I figured that was as good an apology as Cal was going to get from Ranger. He must have known it too because she lifted his chin and replied, "No worries, I see things are different now and I can respect that."

It was a long way from a Hallmark moment but I was still proud of my guys. As he clicked my seatbelt in place Ranger said, "Anything you want, and I'll see you on seven." Then he placed a final soft kiss on my lips that I thought was probably as much for Cal's benefit as it was for my own before he shut the door and walked back over to Tank and Lester.

They disappeared to the stairs as Cal cranked the truck and pulled out heading to the mall area. "Somebody's got some explaining to do." He said breaking the silence.

"Whatever do you mean?" I asked trying to sound innocent.

At the stop light he turned to look at me, "Angel, you've been sick as a dog and even with your skin a little pale and a few pounds off your frame, you are glowing like a Christmas tree. I'm betting the boss finally came clean and told you how he felt."

I waited for him to start driving before answering so he wouldn't look at me and see how red talking about it made me. "We did have some great…discussions at my apartment and we both came clean."

"Good, then I'll back off." He commented like it was a normal thing for him to say to someone.

"Wait a minute," I barked out. "Were you intentionally baiting Ranger?"

"What happened to Carlos?" He teased back causing me to hit his shoulder making him laugh out loud.

"Arrgh! You were playing with us both weren't you?" I accused.

"Maybe a little," He admitted with a boyish smile. "Even a blind man could see the attraction between the two of you. I figured I was a pretty safe person to help apply a little pressure to help the boss see he needed to step up before someone else did."

His comment confused me, "Why were you a safe person?"

Cal glanced at me briefly, "We're friends, right?"

I assured him we were so that he would continue, "Well, let's just say despite what my behavior might have said in the garage, in reality I'd be more likely to fall in love with the boss than with you."

He let that sink in before he added, "But after getting to know you better I decided you were one of those rare souls that needed to be protected and loved and I was drawn to you. You've never blanched at my tattoo and even though some people think I'm kind of a rough guy, you seem to take it all in stride. You're special and there's nothing I wouldn't do for you."

I put my hand on his arm and squeezed it gently. He glanced down at my hand and smiled. "Nothing phases you, does it?"

"There are some things that do, but getting to know the real you doesn't. Thank you for trusting me." I said feeling that my words didn't do justice to how I felt.

He parked the truck in front of a little boutique and then put his hand on mine. "It's not that I'm ashamed of who I am, but in the places I've worked, it's been necessary to keep it to myself. You're the first person I've ever come right out and told that to and you didn't even blink."

Then he looked up into my eyes, "I know that Ranger would die for you, but just so you know the whole story, I would too. My love might be different than his, and based on that kiss in the garage, I'm betting it is, but it's just as strong. I mean it when I call you an angel and tell you there's nothing I wouldn't do for you."

I loved it when the guys let their guard down around me but I couldn't resist teasing him a little to lighten the mood. "I plan on putting that theory to the test because after we get a baby gift, you're going to take me shopping for lingerie."

He smiled a full on, light up your face, grin before saying, "I'm game if you are, but you have to give the eulogy at my funeral and explain to my mother why my life was cut tragically short."

Just before we got out of the truck I abruptly asked, "Does your mother know? I mean…"

He understood what I was asking and helped me out by answering my question, "No. She might wonder since I've not had a girlfriend since high school, but I've never told her and she's never asked. I guess you could say she's never understood me and every time she sees the tattoo she makes it clear that I've not turned out the way she expected so I didn't see the reason to tell her this and have to endure a lecture about that too."

"I guess we've got that in common then." I said sadly thinking about my own mother and how little she seemed to understand me.

Cal picked up on the mood shift and touched my face to get my attention, "Angel, family is what you make it. She's your mother, she gave birth to you and there's no taking away that fact, but she isn't the whole of your family just like my mother doesn't define mine. We've got each other and when you can pick your family it means more than the one biology sometimes sticks you with."

Something in his words helped me get a better perspective on my relationship with my mother. I felt better and was ready to shop, "We've got each other." I summed up touching his hand still on my face.

"Let's go see what we can find that says welcome to the world little girl, and by the way you're dad is a total badass." He said cracking me up and causing me to laugh deeply for the first time today.

I opened the door and slid out of the truck to the ground and swore internally when the parking lot seemed to be undulating under my feet. This was getting old pretty quickly and I didn't want to embarrass myself but I wasn't sure I could make it to the store without something to hold on to.

Finally I gave myself a quick pep-talk. The ground was still solid beneath my feet and as long as I moved slowly it wasn't going to disappear so there was no reason I couldn't walk on my own. Unfortunately, my talk reached my legs because they began to move, but it didn't reach anything else because I got to the end of the truck and my next step wobbled and I fell to my hands and knees.

Cal was by my side in an instant, "Angel, what's wrong? What happened?"

I hated this! I hated feeling out of control and unable to do something as simple as walking in a straight line without falling on my face. A few tears escaped before I could wipe them away and they weren't lost on Cal. He started to pull out his cell phone but I stopped him and began trying to stand up.

Cal helped me up and then held both my shoulders unwilling to let me move until I gave him some answers. "What's going on?"

I was stuck until I confessed so I just decided to get it over with. "Since I was sick I've been dizzy a lot. Any kind of sudden movement makes it feel like the world is spinning and I lose my balance pretty easily."

"What can I do?" He asked still concerned but loosening his grip on my shoulders slightly.

"If I have something steady to hold on to then I can adjust for the balance issues easier." I acknowledged.

"Then hold on to me and we'll get through this together." He said slipping my hand around his crooked arm. "But you should have told me. You know we'd all be glad to be there for you."

We took a few steps and I said, "I know you would, but I don't want everyone to know because they'll hover and it will make me too self-conscious. Besides, most of them don't know why I've been gone so explaining a side effect to a virus they didn't know I had would be tricky."

"Tank didn't give an official statement; he just said you were taking a few days off. He said the same thing about Ranger when people asked. After that display in the parking lot this afternoon, my guess is most of the guys are going to think you went somewhere together." He explained and I felt better knowing that most people were unaware I'd been sick.

We walked in the shop and the salesclerk did a great job of hiding her concern about seeing us enter the store. Between Cal's imposing presence and my fall in her parking lot I'm sure she thought we were a danger to her safety or the merchandise. I decided to find something quickly and get the hell out before I had to say something to set her straight.

Fortunately Cal diffused the situation by saying, "We need to get a baby gift for a friend of ours who just had a little girl. Money is no object but we need it to be creative and special."

He had the clerk hooked as soon as he made the price tag unlimited and she was very helpful after that. I had a new favorite shopping buddy and he had no idea what a compliment that was.

_Ranger's POV_

I slammed my fist down on the wooden conference table in front of me. "How long has he been in the country?" I demanded failing to contain my fury.

"As best we can tell, three days," Tank responded.

"How did Homeland Security miss the fact that a vital member of the Castillo family had entered the country and why were we not alerted as soon as it happened?" I pushed.

Les spoke up, "The only guess we've got for that is maybe they don't know yet. He could have traveled under an assumed name and with a disguise and entered easily. Airline security has gotten more focused on preventing a bomb going onto a plane, so that identifying the right passengers isn't as pressing."

"Damn it, why is he here? This can't be a coincidence." I admitted at a loss about what to do. I dismissed the guys to call my handler to see if they had any guidance. I had just murdered Mateo Castillo's nephew Jorge and I doubted less than a week after the funeral he had decided to abandon the family and travel to Trenton for a vacation.

Unfortunately, the government can be very little help when everyone's mouths are bound by red tape. I finally made it clear that I would have to take my security and that of my family into my own hands if I discovered Mateo was here for revenge. I was given encouragement to do so, assuming I would cover it up well, and was told with a reminder this whole conversation had never occurred that they assumed the only reason he was here was to find a way to make me suffer. The Castillo family had a reputation for control and it was Mateo that was seen as the enforcer of that image.

It looked like trouble had found me once again and while I wasn't worried about it for myself, I hated that it had come while things with Stephanie were so new. I had to find a way to tell her and remind her of our conversation that I wouldn't try to take away her freedom but I needed her to trust me that this situation was dangerous at best, and certain precautions would need to be taken.

I glanced down at my watch and realized it was just after five. I figured Steph had been back for a while so I shut down my computer, sent a text to Tank that I was off-line for the rest of the day and then jumped in the elevator to ride to seven. With each floor that ticked off I could feel the tension melting off of me and the anticipation growing. Stephanie was in my apartment and I had told her to that when I got home I wanted her ready to scream my name. When I stepped out of the elevator on seven I was hard as a rock and struggling to stay in control.

I opened the door and noticed the lights were off, but there were a few votive candles lit in glass holders that I was pretty sure weren't in my apartment before today. She had lined them up making a path to the bedroom that I was eager to follow. I dropped my keys in the silver dish intentionally letting them fall hard to make more noise to alert her that I was home. Then I toed off my boots happy to have one article of clothes already out of the way.

When I got to the bedroom the sight in front of me took my breath away. Stephanie was lying on the bed on her back with her torso pushed up slightly as she leaned on her elbows. She had on a black piece of lace that gave me a veiled view of her gorgeous body and my hands itched to rip it from her so that I could feel her skin.

Her eyes were dancing and they were a dark shade of blue telling me she was already turned on. "I'm glad you're home, Carlos, I've been waiting." She said with a quiet roll on the "r" of my name. As she spoke she drew up one of her legs by bending it at the knee, causing the lace to shift slightly teasing me even more.

"I warned you, Babe," I said pulling off my weapons and my utility belt.

"Yes you did, Carlos," This time I knew she was teasing me and so did my dick. It pushed against my zipper as though it could break free and get to her on its own. "And I can assure you I am definitely ready to scream your name."

I pulled my shirt off and threw it on the floor. Then I unbuttoned my pants, but when I saw her lick her lips and her eyes drop to watch my hands I intentionally slowed down to pull the zipper at an unhurried pace to tease her a little letting more of the tension build between us. Once my pants and socks hit the floor I walked to the end of the bed and then stopped.

God, she was beautiful. The closer I got the more I was struck by that fact. She was beautiful, kind and mine. As I was briefly lost in my reflections of her she moved her foot and ran it from the inside of my knee to my cock. Hell, this woman was amazing. With the touch of the end of her toes I was already seeping pre-cum and balling up a fist to stay in control.

I grabbed her foot and lifted it so that I could kiss each of her toes. Pulling one into my mouth I watched her mouth open as she gave herself to me for anything I wanted to do. I wished that I had the ability to take her slowly and to treasure her as she deserved but seeing her like this I wanted to slam into her and drive hard until I exploded.

Stephanie ended my torture by saying, "I want you to take me now, Carlos." This time I didn't detect any teasing in her words. She wanted me just like I needed her and that was all the permission I needed. There would be time for me to worship her body later, now was the time for something else.

I climbed over her and pulled her slightly higher on the bed. Looking into her eyes I asked, "Are you sure?"

"I need this," She replied pushing her hips up to press against my own. I didn't bother to respond instead I reached between us and rubbed my tip along her slit moaning at how wet it was already. "Now," She encouraged me with a whisper.

I thrust hard and her hands gripped my back. "God, yes," She encouraged and I smiled at the thought that we were so in sync physically. Her legs went around my waist and she kept me pulled closely to her. I pushed into her over and over feeling her walls tighten against me driving me crazy. Barely able to hold myself back she screamed, "Carlos!" and I snapped. Once, twice, and on the third thrust she whispered, "Carlos," once more as I spilled into her with a roar of my own.

As my senses returned to me I noticed she was rubbing little circles on my back with her right hand. Not even thinking about it I said, "I love you, Steph."

She turned her head a little to better to see my face and replied, "I love you too, Carlos."

I instantly felt myself harden again at her words. Before I could try to make a joke out of it she touched my jaw and said, "Make love to me…please."

My lips fell upon hers with all the tenderness she deserved. This time as we moved it was slow and tender, and whispered words echoed what our bodies were already saying.

By the time sleep came for us it was the early hours of the morning and I knew in my very core that a woman had never been loved as completely as I loved Stephanie.


	18. Taming the Lion

_None of the characters are mine. The usual applies that they all belong to JE._

_A BIG thank you to Fredda (Rangergirl1234) who agreed to step in and work as the beta on this story. _

**Chapter 18 – Taming the Lion**

_Stephanie's POV_

When I opened my eyes I was surprised to see the sun was up and Carlos was still in bed with me. He was absentmindedly playing with my curls and I wondered what he was thinking about so intently.

"What are you thinking?" I finally blurted out, unable to wait for him to tell me on his own.

He smiled down at me and said, "Good morning to you too."

I leaned up and kissed him as an apology for my blunt start to morning conversation, but as I pulled back I asked him again, "So, what were you thinking?"

This time he laughed and replied, "I got some news yesterday that we need to discuss."

"What about?" I asked, beginning to suspect I wasn't going to like this discussion one bit.

"Mateo Castillo," He said simply.

"Jorge's Uncle?" I asked trying to remember how he fit into the Castillo empire I'd read about when Ranger was sick. Then I tensed up remembering I wasn't supposed to know anything about them.

Carlos sat up abruptly practically tossing me aside as he did. He did try to soften it by reaching for me and helping me to sit up as well but I could tell he was upset that I knew what I did.

"Steph, I need you to tell me who in this building told you about my mission. This type of security breech is not something that can go unpunished. By giving you that kind of information they have in essence committed treason and I need to figure out how to punish them appropriately." He then looked at me willing to wait as long as it took to get his answer.

I looked down at my hands, afraid he would get angry with me when I told him the full truth of what happened. I was used to tempers flaring as a part of a relationship. Hell, the amount of time Joe and I fought was probably the same as the amount we spent not fighting. But that didn't soften the truth that I didn't want to fight with Carlos. I didn't want him to be angry at me or pull away.

Realizing I couldn't put it off I opened my mouth and blurted out the truth. "The guys didn't do anything wrong." I began but he tried to interrupt me by restating that the details of his missions are highly classified.

I put my hand up but didn't look at him, "You told me. You were fighting when you were sick and you told me about the Castillo family and the fact that you had been ordered to take out Jorge. When you went to sleep I got on-line and Googled the family to see who they were and why he would be important enough to involve the military. Everything I know I either learned on-line or you told me yourself."

He pressed on his forehead with the palm of his hand and I waited with my head hanging down, afraid of what he would say next.

_Ranger's POV_

Damn it! How could I be so careless and stupid? I was trained to withstand the harshest form of torture and a simple virus made me delusional enough to spill my guts to Stephanie about my classified mission. What in the hell did I do now?

I knew I could trust her to keep her mouth shut. She'd proven herself to me repeatedly so I didn't feel the need to insult her by reminding her that she couldn't repeat that information. I figured anything she learned from a standard search was pretty tame compared to the full horrors that had been shared with me. I didn't want to scare her, but this family, and Mateo in particular, were capable of things she couldn't imagine.

I pulled my hand away from my head and looked over at her to try and help her understand how serious this was. I didn't expect to see her sitting there as though she were trying to disappear into herself. Her shoulders were rolled in, her head was hanging low and her arms were crossed over her stomach. Defeated was the only word that seemed to fit her posture.

"Babe?" I asked wondering why she would feel that way. She didn't respond right away which scared me. Had my reminder of the mission brought back her memory of what I'd done? Had she finally come to terms with the fact that I was not the kind of man she needed to spend her life with.

"I'm so sorry, Stephanie. I never meant for my life to haunt you like this," I began, not willing to hope that she would ever be able to look at me again.

I heard her sniff and knew she was crying. "Why are you apologizing?" She asked. "Your life isn't haunting me, it was my own curiosity that got the better of me and I looked everything up online." She brushed tears away with her fingers before continuing, "I'll understand if you feel like you have to pull back from me. Doing the kind of work you do and having a girlfriend that sticks her nose in where it doesn't belong is a dangerous combination. I get that."

So she thought I was going to push her away and I was afraid she was going to go running. Dios, we were a pair. I quickly put my arms around her and pulled her into my lap. She made a high pitched sound from the surprise movement but when I held her to me she formed to my chest and allowed me to comfort her.

"We're going to have to work on this," I started. "I'm not pushing you away ever again, and it doesn't look like you're trying to run away so we are going to have to stop expecting the traditional responses from each other. I think we've proven ourselves enough."

"You're not upset with me?" She asked sniffing again so that I leaned over to grab her a tissue.

"I'm upset with myself. I always thought the information in my head was sealed in safe from any form of torture. As it turns out, if I feel safe enough, and I have a fever, then I also have lose lips. That's something I'd never considered before and I'm upset that the leak I was so willing to punish came from me." She put her hand over my heart and pressed it there.

"We do need to talk about what it means that Mateo is in Trenton." I warned her.

She didn't tense up like I thought she would. Instead she asked, "It's not good?"

I kissed the top of her head and agreed, "No, it's not good."

"I think I'm going to need coffee for this discussion," She said sitting up a little straighter, "And breakfast."

I helped her up and to the bathroom before leaving her there and promising to call Ella for some food. I realized we'd skipped dinner the night before because her pre-dinner surprise for me turned into an all night event. I needed to be more conscious of her eating. She was still recovering and good nutrition was going to be key in helping her turn the corner.

Ella said she'd bring up a high protein breakfast in half an hour, so I slipped in the bathroom to "help" Stephanie with her shower. An hour later, my legs felt weak, reminding me I also needed to start putting some serious time in the gym again. Of course, Steph was complaining that the time in the shower on top of last night was going to make her lose her voice, so perhaps exercise wasn't the answer to curing all ills.

We ate breakfast in relative silence until Stephanie spoke up, "So what do you need from me while you're trying to figure out Mateo's purpose? Will I still be allowed to leave the building, or am I being locked up already?"

I took a deep breath realizing this was the kind of discussion I most didn't want to have with her. "He hasn't done anything yet, and as far as we know, no one knows about our relationship, so there is no reason for you to stay here. But I would feel better if you would not go anywhere alone for right now. It doesn't have to be one the guys, even though I'd prefer if it were, but I think it would be wise to have someone with you who could at least call for help if necessary."

She looked at me and smiled, "I can do that."

I thought about it for a moment longer and then added, "And I'm going to want to give you new, more up-to-date trackers."

Her smiled slipped a little, but she agreed, "Alright, we can go through my purse and jacket and you can switch out whatever you want to."

Then I thought of one more thing, "And I'd like you to do a little training with the guys in the gym."

Apparently, that piece of straw was responsible for the camel on the floor. "What? What kind of training?"

"I'd like Lester to work with you so that you're more comfortable carrying your gun, and maybe Tank, or Bobby when he's back, can work on your self defense moves. If someone grabs you, the best chance of escape is an unexpected counterattack to their first move. Some training would help you with that." I explained.

"No running? No weights?" She asked.

I shook my head, "You're welcome to do anything you like, but I know you don't like those things and they aren't going to offer you that much more protection immediately."

"Then I'll do the guns and the self-defense, but can I ask for someone different to do the training?" She countered.

I was intrigued by her negotiations, so I agreed. "Any man on my staff would be qualified and capable of training you. Who do you want and I'll rearrange the schedule?"

She didn't miss a beat before saying, "Cal."

Shit! The one person I had a problem with is the man she chose. Why was nothing easy with her?

"Cal?" I repeated, hoping she would explain why she chose him, of all people, especially after the incident in the garage yesterday.

"I'm comfortable with him," She began.

I interrupted to ask, "Are you not comfortable with Les or Bobby?"

"Of course, but Cal understands the way I think a little better." She replied before thinking for a minute and then telling me about a trip to a teenage game with laser guns and a private hour long session that he used to work with her on stealth movement, aim, well timed shots, and trigger control. She had fun and wasn't intimidated. That was what she needed for her training to be successful and she felt confident Cal could help in the other areas as well. I had to admit her argument was sound. So despite my inner voice telling me to keep him away from my woman, I agreed because I could see it was the best thing for her. Her face lit up when I agreed telling me I'd made the right call to keep my mouth shut about my personal insecurities.

After that discussion we got ready for the day and made it down to five around 10:30 which got a few smiles and watch taps from the guys. All it took was a question of, "Mats anyone?" and the watches disappeared into shirtsleeves and everyone's computer monitors became much more interesting.

I gave Steph a kiss at her cubicle and called Cal to my office. I trusted Stephanie implicitly, but was going to make sure Cal understood my trust wasn't to be abused.

"Shut the door," I ordered when Cal appeared at my door.

Silently he obeyed and then sat down in the chair opposite my desk. He wasn't sitting at rigid attention, but I could see the tension in his posture just the same.

"I have an assignment for you that is of the upmost importance." I began. His eyes opened wider conveying the fact that wasn't the opening he expected. "If you succeed in this mission your position within the organization will be vastly elevated, but if you fail there is no place on earth you can hide to escape my wrath."

"Shit man, what is it?" Cal said sitting forward in his chair.

"You know about the recent Castillo presence in Trenton?" I asked to see how up to speed he was. A short nod told me he was fully in the loop.

"Until we straighten out Mateo's purpose then I have to assume he is here for revenge against me because of the role I supposedly played in his nephew's recent tragic death." I chose my words carefully, not admitting to anything but still giving Cal enough to fully understand what happened.

"What do you need me to do?" He asked obviously thinking I needed him to interact with the Castillo situation in some manner.

"I need you to train Stephanie," I said, pausing to let the full weight of what I'd just saddled him with press on him.

"How?" He asked without pausing very long.

"We discussed it this morning and she needs to work on her gun skills and her self defense as a minimum. She needs to be able to protect herself if she's alone and Mateo makes a move." I advised him.

He shook his head and dared to smile at me. "Are you saying you don't want this assignment?" I asked him.

"No, but I am curious why you tapped me for it in the first place. I assumed you would ask Lester to work with her in the range, and then have Bobby, or maybe Tank do her self defense work." He said, proving once again he had a good head on his shoulders to have come up with the same plan I tried to force on Stephanie this morning.

"That was exactly what I wanted, but she would only agree to do some training if you did it." I told him. Then, thinking I might have giving too much information, I quickly added, "Of course who works with her doesn't matter to me. But whoever it is needs to realize what she means to me. If she is hurt and the circumstances could have been avoided then I don't think anything would stop me from swooping in quickly to punish that kind of failure."

"I'll do it, because she asked me to, and there is nothing I wouldn't do for her. But you need to remember this is Stephanie we're talking about. She seems to find herself in circumstances no one could have imagined and there is no way to adequately train her for every possibility she could find herself in." He cautioned. I hated to admit it, but he had a point.

"What do you suggest?" I asked curious how quickly he could come up with a plan.

"I suggest letting me approach this differently than normal self-defense training. I want to capitalize on her intuition and try to turn it into a reflex of sorts. Her gut is good, and if I can get certain behaviors to attach to specific feelings then she will probably be able to avoid some of the situations she's fallen prey to in the past. But let's be realistic," He said sitting back with an expression I'd not seen on him before. "If Mateo comes after her, the best we can hope for is that she learns enough to fight him off long enough to hit her panic button. Seconds are all you can hope for against a guy like this."

I knew he was right and the truth of his words hit me like a ton of bricks. What was I thinking letting her leave the building? The only way to keep her safe from a sick bastard like Castillo was to keep her locked up here.

Cal stood up interrupting my internal panic attack. "I'll work with her, and try to find some reason to hang out with her outside the building. Between the guys and me we can probably limit her time unprotected until this matter is resolved."

We stared at each other for a few minutes and the meaning of his words was not lost on me. The only way this matter could be resolved was with Mateo's death. I nodded that I understood and just before he opened the door I added, "Thanks. I know working with Stephanie isn't always easy, but she trusts you and that was good enough for me to trust you too."

He didn't turn around before adding, "I'll do what I can. I was serious when I said there was nothing I wouldn't do for her. I get that she's with you, but the way we all feel about her isn't going to change because of that fact."

He was gone before I could ask what he meant when he said 'the way they all felt about Steph'. What the hell did that mean?

_Stephanie's POV_

I was trying to stay focused on the search in front of me. If all the guys thought Ranger and I had just spent a week away together, then I needed to be sure they didn't think I was getting special treatment and goofing off just because I was the boss' girlfriend.

The idea of Ranger being my boyfriend made me smile. Somehow I didn't think he'd appreciate being referred to as anything related to a boy.

"You going to tell me what put that smile on your face?" Came Cal's voice behind me.

I spun around in my chair, but made no attempt to stand up since the world kept spinning when I tried to stop.

He must have noticed something was wrong because he knelt in front of me and pulled me to him in a hug of sorts to speak softly in my ear. "What are we going to do with you, Angel?"

I shook my head at a loss too. I had assumed by now the dizziness would begin to let up, but I hadn't noticed much of a change. I was trying not to worry about it, but even denial land wasn't helping me to ignore this.

"How about we head down to the gym?" He said pulling back a little. "The boss says you need a little self-defense work, and I'm just the guy to give it to you."

I took his hand when he offered it to me and stood up slowly trying to minimize the chance of swaying when the guys could see me. He threw an arm over my shoulder like he was picking on me but the way his hand held me instead of hanging loose over my arm told me it was an attempt to hold me steady.

When the doors to the elevator shut I sighed and said, "Thanks for doing this. I can't believe he expects me to try and do self defense when I can barely walk without falling on my face."

"I guess the idea is to be able to defend yourself as you are right now. So we need to figure out how to do that despite your equilibrium challenges. When they go away, it will only get easier, so the work we're doing won't be lost." Cal explained as we stepped from the elevator still hanging on to each other.

He guided me to a corner that wasn't being used and pulled out a couple of folding chairs for us to sit in. I watched him carefully, wondering what he had up his sleeve. I couldn't imagine being able to do any training sitting down, but then I never would have thought of Laser Quest for gun training either.

He sat right in front of me and told me he didn't want this to be overwhelming. No one was expecting me to be a martial arts badass. I laughed at the image of me trying to spar with the guys and was relieved to see that Cal wasn't taking this so seriously. But the fact that he didn't laugh with me when I said that aloud was my first clue about how wrong I was.

"You need to understand that I am taking this very seriously, but I'm also being realistic. I have two goals here. The first is to teach you how to stand up for yourself should you run into Morelli again and he tries to grab your wrist to force you to listen to him. The second goal is to teach you how to counter an attack in order to buy yourself a few seconds before you are captured." The serious tone of his words scared me a little.

"What difference does it make if I have a couple of seconds before I'm captured? If someone gets me anyway, what was the point of fighting them at all?" I asked feeling the situation was hopeless if this was all the comfort Cal could offer.

"The point is that if they take you, they will probably bind you to keep you from alerting anyone that you've been taken. And if they are any good at all, they will check you over and get rid of your cell phone and any other obvious trackers you may have. You need to be able to buy yourself enough time to use this." And with that he opened his hand and pulled out a panic button.

I shook my head. "Ranger said updated trackers, but he didn't mention a panic button."

"What difference does it make? If you agreed to a tracker, that's all this is except that it includes a way for you to alert us that something is wrong. If you hit this button an alarm goes off in the control room and a special message goes to the cell phones of most of the guys too with the location of the signal. That way whoever is close can respond immediately and hopefully get to you before anything happens. I don't want to scare you unnecessarily, but this is about as serious as it gets, Angel." He explained.

I wanted to argue but he made a good point. I couldn't fight off someone who had years of training. Something like this was probably my best bet, so I reached out and took it, working it between my fingers as though it were a coin.

Seeing my acceptance but not any enthusiasm he changed the subject. "Just put that away for now. Today I want to talk about Joe."

I slipped it in my pocket and looked at him for a minute. "What about Joe?"

"Before you got sick he seemed to be having trouble admitting that the two of you were through." He began.

"I think he's got the message now," I said thinking back to Joe trying to see me when Ranger was at my apartment. "Besides, he would never hurt me. He's all talk."

Call nodded his head but the, "Right," he said dripping with sarcasm told me he didn't believe me. Then he reached out, grabbed my hand and pushed my sleeve up to my elbow. "And those fading hand shaped bruises didn't hurt?"

I blushed, thinking back to the day Joe had held onto my wrist in the parking lot and how I was helpless to make him let me go until Ranger showed up and scared him off. "He didn't mean to hurt me, but when I tried to pull away he gripped me tighter to keep me from getting away."

"Exactly," Cal said scooting a little closer and putting his strong hand around my wrist as Joe had. "And no one has the right to keep you from getting away."

Our eyes locked and I could see the determination on his face that I accept what he was saying. I didn't need to be pushed around by Joe, or anyone else for that matter. I looked down at our hands and said, "So what do I do?"

We spent the next thirty minutes with Cal showing me how to break away from a grip like this. We talked through the mechanics at first, but eventually the chairs were moved and we practiced techniques for getting away from this and various other holds. He was very gentle with me, but I still felt like I had learned a lot.

After I managed to escape from his latest hold I saw his eyes cut to the punching bag where Binkie was beginning to work out. His gaze rested there only briefly, but I couldn't help but notice it. I quickly went through what I knew about Binkie. Other than being younger than most of the Merry Men, he was also one of the quietest. I'd seen him wrestle a huge guy to the ground with ease after a distraction went wrong, so I knew he was equal to the guys despite his quiet approach to life. Still, the way Cal was looking at him made me think that I'd never seen Binkie with a girl.

Not able to resist I said, "Do you need a break?"

Cal focused back on me quickly and looked confused. I could have sworn he blushed slightly but I knew he'd never admit to it so I didn't say anything about the pink tint to his cheeks. Instead, I looked over to Binkie and back to Cal, letting the silence between us ask the question.

It took him a few minutes to break but he eventually cracked and said, "I don't know. Sometimes I think so, but he's never said anything definite. It's more of a feeling I get when we're hanging out or talking."

"He talks?" I asked in disbelief making Cal laugh before answering. "Yea, he talks. The trouble is he doesn't talk about himself enough for me to know anything else important."

I understood the problem. He liked Binkie, but he wasn't sure if he was gay or not, and because of the amount of testosterone at RangeMan, he couldn't just ask him on a stakeout. Thinking quickly I said, "Call him over to help us out so I can practice getting out of a hold from someone attacking from behind."

Clearly Cal wasn't up to speed with my thought process, "What? Why?" He asked, concerned about what I had up my sleeve.

I crossed my arms and waited for him to do what I'd asked. Once again he caved, and I resisted the urge to gloat when he yelled out to Binkie asking if he had a minute.

Binkie nodded a greeting to me, once again resisting saying a word, and then looked to Cal while raising a single eyebrow. "I'm working on some basic self defense with Stephanie, and she needs somebody attack her from behind so that I can talk her through getting free. Do you have a minute to help out?"

He nodded and without saying a word stood behind me and put an arm around my throat. I pushed the panic away knowing all too well that when people had grabbed me like this in the past that I had been unable to get free. I had a goal here and I needed to do this for my friend.

I listened as Cal talked to me but I made sure to press myself against Binkie, paying close attention to pushing my rear end against his groin as much as possible while following the directions Cal gave me. I got free and we did it a couple more times just to be sure I understood. Satisfied I knew what to do, he thanked Binkie and watched as he left our corner to return to his punching bag.

"Well?" He asked once we were alone again.

"He's gay," I announced quietly with a smile.

"You can't possibly know that," He argued, but the cute blush was back to his cheeks when he glanced back over at Binkie pounding away at the bag.

"Trust me, I've gotten reactions from skips, boyfriends, strangers, and freaks when my ass has rubbed them like that, and from Binkie I got nothing." I informed him proud of my secret detection method.

"Of course, he may just have a little more self control, or he could fear for his life if Ranger saw him react to your body rubbing against his." He countered thinking he was making a good point.

I couldn't let him win this argument so I looked around and saw Junior on a treadmill and yelled out to him. He jumped down and jogged over rubbing the sweat from his face with a towel. "What's up?" He asked, having no idea what I was about to do to him.

I used the same excuse that I needed someone to attack me from behind and after only one try when I got loose, it was obvious poor Junior was going to be attempting to run on the treadmill with a third leg.

Once we were alone again Cal asked, "Does that happen a lot?"

"Every time but one," I admitted with a smile, glancing back over at Binkie.

We talked a little more about some general tactics of staying safe and then called it a day. Agreeing to meet him in the gun range tomorrow morning, we stopped so I could make my way upstairs, hoping no one noticed the very unsteady progress I made when Cal let go of my hand to take the empty bag across from Binkie and get in a bit of a work out on his own while enjoying the view.

_Ranger's POV_

This was a horrible idea. I thought it would be easier to have someone else train Steph, but watching Cal just sitting there talking to her and holding her wrist was infuriating. When he lifted her sleeve suddenly I knew he was pointing out the bruises Morelli had left there. I could see the progress he was making but watching it and staying in my office instead of rushing down there to demand he keep his hands off her was nearly more than I could handle.

It only got worse when they stood up and began working on various techniques for breaking out of holds. I tried to focus on the paperwork in front of me, but the same spreadsheet had been in my hand for nearly half an hour and I had no clue what it was.

Giving up I put it on my desk and maximized the screen size from the camera in the gym that gave me the best view of what they were doing. The next thing I knew, Binkie was holding her from behind. I didn't know what Cal was saying but my Babe's ass was all over Binkie's crotch. I took a deep breath when she broke free, only to break the arm from the side of the chair I was sitting in when they did it again and again.

Finally I got some relief when Binkie left and they went back to talking. There was no mistaking the smile on her face when Junior came over and did the same exercise. I wasn't sure what was going on. She clearly had this now, why didn't he just move on? When she broke away from Junior I could see the prominent erection he was sporting and knew if I didn't stop watching this I'd go down there and hurt somebody. I shut down the feed and then shut down my computer entirely to keep from bringing it back up. Finally, unable to think of anything else, I ran up the stairs to seven and paced back and forth- waiting for her to come up or for me to calm down.

What was this? The guys were doing what I asked of them, yet I wanted nothing more than to pull Junior in the ring and beat a lesson into him. I couldn't blame him really. If her sweet round ass had been rubbing against me I know I would have reacted the same way. Still, you would think the threat of my response would be enough to stop reactions like that one.

I paced back and forth in front of the door like a wild animal in a cage. Even though I knew I was being irrational, I couldn't control the rage boiling just under the surface. I tried to take a few deep breaths and focus when I heard the elevator open and her fob unlock the door.

As soon as she walked in I rushed to her pushing her against the wall and attacking her mouth with my own. I knew I was being rough and had probably scared her, but I needed to feel the connection again. Pulling back only enough to speak, I kept my body against hers and my eyes closed. "Babe, I'm sorry. I don't know what to do with this."

"With what?" She asked, her voice steady not giving me any indication that she was frightened of me.

"I was watching you in the gym with Cal, and then Binkie and Junior. I had to get away from the guys to keep myself from beating the shit out of one of them. I've always been in control, but with you I've lost the ability to shut down my emotions. It's like they're all out there and shoving them back into a compartment isn't working. I don't know what to do." I confessed to her in the quiet of my apartment. It was raining outside and since I hadn't turned on any lights it was dark and my words were falling into the shadows of the room.

_Stephanie's POV_

I was completely surprised by Carlos' attack on me when I entered, but I had to admit I liked it. After spending time in the gym thinking of various ways people could hurt me I needed to feel a connection to him and the safety his arms always provided.

When he pulled back and spoke, I could barely hear him over my own heartbeat rapidly banging away from the excitement of such a greeting.

He apologized for something but I was unsure what he was referring to so I asked and tried very hard to focus on his words.

He'd been spying on me in the gym. I'd spent enough time in the building to feel at home here, but his reminder quickly pointed out there are few places that are truly private. I should have known my little test of the guys would be caught on tape and misunderstood. But as Carlos kept talking I realized it was more than that. He was jealous, which turned into anger. He didn't understand about Cal, which I could easily correct to set his mind at ease, but I understood the bigger issue at stake here. He was confessing to me how he felt out of fear of my reaction.

A little jealousy was a turn on but I didn't want to have to wonder if caveman Ranger would be coming out every time I was with one of the guys. I knew Carlos was a physical man; in the gym, in the bedroom, and in life. He had repressed adrenaline rushing through his veins and it didn't take a doctor to understand that it was not the ideal state to try and have a serious chat with him.

I pulled my arms free and framed his face with my hands before doing the only thing that I could in this situation. We had plenty of time to talk about jealousy and the guys. We could address how trust would eventually include situations like this one over time, but for right now there was a wild beast that needed to be freed. This wasn't the time to try and tame the lion; it was the time to let him loose to roar.


	19. Polite Conversation

_All JE's characters, they're just behaving the way I want them to._

_Fredda (Rangergirl1234) Thanks again for stepping up as the beta on this story. Your suggestions on the opening scene were invaluable. Who wouldn't want to read a longer steamy Ranger scene?_

**Chapter 19 - Polite Conversation**

_**Stephanie's POV**_

I was uncomfortable. The floor was hard, my body was slippery from a fine layer of sweat, Ranger's leg was on top of mine cutting of the circulation and giving my foot that painful pins and needles sensation and yet my face had a smile on it. After Ranger confessed to his jealousy over seeing me with the guys in the gym I put my hands on either side of his face to get his attention and then I did the only thing I knew to do. I showed him exactly why he had nothing to fear.

It only took a few seconds for him to understand what I was doing. After I covered his lips with mine and began to kiss him I hooked a leg around his hip. A few movements of my hips against his quickly growing erection and he lifted my other leg from the floor and wrapped it around his waist too. He began to press against me and I whispered, "Carlos."

The hiss from his lips told me he still liked the sound of his name on my lips, so I decided to give him what he needed. "Carlos, I want you to take me right now. I am totally yours, only yours."

"Babe," He replied breathless. "I can't promise to be gentle with you."

I dug my nails into his back and said, "Screw gentle, I want you to mark me and take me, right here, right now."

That was it. That simple command broke the damn of control in him and clothes began to fly. He lowered my legs and tore at the button on my jeans yanking them down my legs and tossing them behind us in a swift motion. Before he stood up, he stopped long enough to bite the skin over my hip bone. It mildly registered that he was sucking the skin in his mouth as well, but the rush of him taking me overrode any pain that might have been there, and I put my hand on his shoulder to steady myself so that my knees wouldn't buckle.

As he stood up he pushed a single finger in me and then growled at my ear. "God, Babe, you are so wet." Apparently that was enough for him to know I was serious in telling him to take me, as he took off his utility belt and then unbuttoned his cargos allowing them to fall to his knees. I refused to wait for him to get out of his boots and pants and I hooked my now bare leg around his hip once more. He pulled my other leg to the other side of his waist and then gripped my ass kneading the muscle and driving me crazy.

As soon as he was able, he drove into me against the wall, taking me hard and powerfully. I gasped as he drove himself into me over and over again. Making love with Carlos was always an unbelievable experience. But _this_…this was something totally different than I'd ever experienced with him before. There was a primal, almost animalistic, feel to what we were sharing. His restraint had been unleashed and I surprised myself by feeding off of his passion. We were frantic to feel, to touch, to taste. His mouth moved from my lips down my neck biting, sucking and licking to my shoulder before he growled and began to push even deeper into me. I'd never been filled or possessed in such a way. The old Stephanie would have been scared by the possession, the sense of belonging, and the sense of being claimed. But I couldn't help but be immensely turned on. It was a wild ride and every fiber of my being cried out for more.

"Mine," He roared biting down on my neck once more and making a sound like a wild animal into the silence of the room.

"Yours," I assured him breathlessly, clinging to him for support and trying to absorb the sensation of being totally possessed by Carlos.

When we came together, he held me to him as we slid down the wall and collapsed in a heap on the floor. I think sleep took us both almost immediately as the fire that burned so quick and hot had been extinguished.

When I tried to move a little to let the feeling come back into my foot, he tightened his arms around me and asked, "Did I hurt you?" His voice was thick with worry.

On an exhale I said, "I don't know yet."

Confused he followed up, "Yet?"

"It felt too good for pain to even register. If you hurt me I have no memory of it, and I certainly don't care." I explained continuing to sit up with Carlos' help.

I shut my eyes to block out the spinning of the room from the change in position, and the action wasn't lost on Carlos. "Babe, is it getting any better?"

I considered playing dumb, but chose against it knowing he'd eventually get the information out of me. "No," I confessed, pressing my palms into my shut eyes. "If anything, it's getting worse."

I felt his strong arms slip around me and pull me into his lap, and the sense of security that always accompanied his presence washed over me. I knew he was worried about the vertigo, and so was I, but I wasn't ready to admit to it yet. What I needed was a diversion to take his mind off my health.

"So, are you going to tell me why you don't trust me?" I asked with conviction in my voice.

"What?" He responded at a loss as to what I was talking about.

"You got totally worked up over watching me training in the gym with your men." I clarified.

"I don't think I'd say 'worked up'," He tried to back pedal.

"You were practically shaking with rage, and I'm pretty sure I have the texture from the paint on the walls permanently embedded in my back." I countered.

His hand instantly went to my back and rubbed it lightly. If I didn't say something quickly the sensation of his touch was going to make speech difficult. "What set you off?"

"Watching the guys holding you over and over again while your ass rubbed against them," His hand dropped lower to skim the top of my rear end while he spoke.

I couldn't help but laugh, which wasn't appreciated. I wanted to be sure he understood what I was about to tell him, so I straddled his lap before realizing that since neither of us had any clothes on, our current position was probably not the best way to keep his attention on what I was saying.

"You need to know something, but I'm telling this to you in confidence, because it's not my place to spread this type of thing." I began.

"Babe," He said leaning his head against the wall and giving me a look that told me I should know better than to think he would tell anyone.

"Cal," I started, and couldn't help but notice the way his body tightened at just the name. "He's gay."

In his defense, his expression didn't change at all; no shock, no surprise. "How do you know?" He finally asked.

"He told me when we went shopping for Isabelle's gift." I replied before adding, "But he hasn't really told anyone else here. With his background, he said it was just easier to keep it to himself and he's not sure how the guys would react."

It took a few seconds but his face lightened slightly and I could feel the tension melting away as well. "That explains Cal, but what about Binkie."

I couldn't help but laugh again. "I caught Cal looking at Binkie in the gym and asked if there was something there. He admitted sometimes he thought so based on conversations they'd had, but Binkie had never come out and admitted a sexual orientation, so he had never pursued it."

"I'm still confused about what this has to do with you repeatedly rubbing against him." Carlos finally admitted.

"I told Cal I knew a way that would tell him definitively, and I intentionally rubbed my back side against Binkie's crotch several times. He never responded. Not even a little bit. Cal didn't believe me when I told him a straight guy would have, so I pulled poor Junior over, and after only going through the drill once he was sporting an obvious reaction. I don't know if it will make a difference, but I thought it wouldn't hurt for him to know the truth about Binkie." I explained.

Carlos smiled a little and I had to ask what was so amusing. "Two things," He began. "First, I could have told you Binkie was gay because he told me when he started working here. And second, I can't believe that was the test you came up with for a sexual preference."

"Why not?" I asked, turning so that I was facing away from him and my ass was in his lap. I leaned against him and moved my hips ever so slightly before feeling him react. "It seems to be working for you."

"You're playing with fire," He warned me.

"I'm pretty sure I'll survive," I said in a lower voice leaning back against his chest and lifting my hand to run it through his hair behind me.

"Steph," Ranger whispered in my ear while moving his hands up to caress both of my breasts. I shut my eyes and focused on the feeling of his hands on me. A low moan escaped from my mouth before he said, "We've got two hours before dinner at your parent's house."

My eyes shot open at his announcement, and the fact I'd forgotten about dinner with my folks. When his thumb and forefinger gently pinched my nipple I decided I didn't care. "Then you better make this good." I teased moving against him harder.

"Babe," he said kissing my neck once more, "I don't think good's going to be problem."

Forty minutes later he helped me into the shower and I put my hand out to stop him from joining me. When he protested that he could keep it strictly business, I relented, and that is how I came to only have fifteen minutes left to get ready for dinner. I took one look in the mirror and knew I had to wear my hair down to help cover up the number of marks on my neck. How did he manage to put that many hickeys on me?

Ranger saw me looking at the bruises in the mirror and commented, "You said to mark you and make you mine." With a smile he brushed his lips across the colored areas and then growled in an incredibly sexy voice, "You are definitely mine."

I raised both eyebrows at him because they only seemed to operate in stereo, and then replied, "And since you're mine as well, I assume it will be alright if I give you a matching set tonight?"

The wolf grin came on his face and he replied, "I can call your mother and cancel dinner if you'd like to do it now."

I declined, throwing on my make-up quickly and hoping that Mr. Alexander's hair gel wouldn't let me down tonight because I didn't have time to do anything else than run my fingers through it. I threw on some jeans, remembering to put a panic button in my pocket, and then I finished it off with a pair of black heeled boots and a high neck sweater I didn't know I'd left here, before grabbing my purse and telling Carlos to hurry up. I might not want to go to my parent's house, but if I had to go I wasn't going to be late.

_Ranger's POV_

I watched Stephanie make a face as she looked at her neck in the mirror. I had left a lot of hickeys on her and knew she was trying to figure out how to hide them. I know it was sophomoric of me, but I didn't want them hidden, I wanted the world to see it and know that we were together, not that the glow on her face left any doubt. It was quite a contrast to my usual stance of not wanting anyone to know my private business.

I threw on a button up shirt and tucked it in a pair of dress pants giving me ten minutes to spare while Steph got dressed. I sat on the bed and watched her root through the limited clothes she had at my apartment. I wondered if she would notice that I'd had Lester pick up some of her clothes earlier to give her some more options. My guess was she was too preoccupied dreading the next few hours to question how her clothes got here.

In the car ride I noticed she was fidgeting and I wondered if agreeing to this meal was a mistake. Maybe a little time relaxing at the apartment would have been more helpful. I glanced at her at a stoplight a mile from her parent's and she smiled at me before speaking. "You know we still haven't finished our conversation from earlier."

"What conversation was that?" I asked not sure what she meant.

"You are going to have to get a handle on the beast inside you that seems to come out every time I'm close to the guys. I know the explanation I gave you made sense but I can't keep a notebook with me to write down every conversation and every touch I receive to explain the innocence of it later." She explained.

I knew she was right and I needed to lighten up. Honestly, I had no idea what came over me and why I felt the need to watch her training in the first place. I must have been quiet for too long because she spoke up again. "I know it's going to take some time to get used to the idea that we are together and that what we have is solid. If there is something I can do to make it easier, I want to help. But you are going to have to find a way to not only trust me, but to trust the guys as well."

I gripped the steering wheel tighter and spoke, "I don't know what happened this afternoon. I know you are right that it will take some time to settle into a confidence about what we have. I think it's the combination of being new and recognizing now that I've let you completely in, I need you to be there. It's like my training kicked in and when I saw them touching you I saw it as a threat to my life just like a gun at my head. I don't know what I would do if I lost you Babe."

Her hand ran through my hair and I was glad I hadn't tied it back. "I know what you mean. It's easy for me to tell you to chill since I'm not being faced with any women throwing themselves at you. I have a feeling I'd react the same way."

And just like that I relaxed. Stephanie got me like no other person could. She knew what made me tick. This afternoon she knew I was wound up tight and needed a physical release in order to see straight. If she'd tried to talk to me it would have ended in an ugly argument, so she gave me a safe place to get out the pent up energy and then I could listen to her. Realizing that she understood me so well, I knew it wouldn't be so much of an issue in the future. I still didn't want the guys so close, but I didn't think I'd want to kill anyone for it.

I parked the car in front of her parent's house and leaned over quickly to kiss her. I tried to let it show her how grateful I was for her love. When her hand tightened around my neck and I knew she'd gotten the message and was sending me one of her own. When we got home tonight she was going to take me up on the offer to mark me as her own as well. I might have to forego the hair ties for a few days.

Unfortunately, a knock on the passenger window brought us both to our senses. I looked up and saw a smiling Edna Mazur grinning at us working the upper plate of her false teeth around with her tongue. That was enough to get rid of the hard on that I had been sporting from kissing Steph.

"For all her quirks, Grandma can be handy to have around," Steph said looking at the zipper of my pants. I had no comeback for that.

_Stephanie's POV_

Dinner wasn't as bad as I'd feared. Grandma kept the attention focused on her through most of the meal as she regaled us with the tale of her date with Mr. McCuntry, the ninety-one year old brother of one of the girls form the Clip and Curl, who took her bowling last night.

When she was finished my dad and Carlos had equally stricken expressions at her exclamation that Mr. McCuntry only needed one of those little blue pills to get it up after seeing how well she'd handled the balls all night bowling.

My mother jumped up and asked me to help her get dessert and coffee from the kitchen while instructing dad to take Carlos into the den to watch television. Carlos took my hand and walked me into the kitchen and helped me up on a stool at the bar. He kissed me softly and whispered that he would be listening if I needed anything. A feeling of warmth came over me as I watched him disappear leaving me alone with my mother.

"How are you feeling?" She asked as soon as the door swung closed behind him.

"I'm good. It's taken a while to get my energy back, but I think I'm getting better." I told her, withholding the part about the dizziness getting worse.

Mom started putting things on a tray for coffee but stopped to look at me. "That man seems to care for you."

"You mean Carlos?" I asked trying to get her to acknowledge the person she used to refer to as a thug actually had a name.

"Yes, Carlos," She replied flippantly as thought my comment had gotten her off track. "I watched him over dinner and he seemed to be very attentive." I assumed this was her way of saying he might be acceptable if I was going to insist on seeing him.

"He is, mom." I tried to assure her and received a short lived smile in return.

"Joseph came by to see me this morning," She said wiping her hands on her flowered apron. I bit my lip to keep from screaming at the thought of him daring to stop by and harass my family.

"I told him that I thought you had moved on, and that he should do the same thing," She said looking very uncertain if she had made a mistake.

"You did?" I asked unable to believe it. My mother was standing up for my choice.

"I did, but he wanted me to pass along a message." She said beginning to serve up the cake in quick movements giving evidence to how nervous she was about saying any more.

"What was the message?" I asked, irritated at his gall.

"He said there was an older man asking questions about you at Pino's yesterday. The man had a beard and spoke with an accent. He wanted to know about your relationship with Carlos and how long the two of you had been together. Apparently Eddie answered some of his questions before Joseph interrupted and told the man they had to leave. But he implied this was the kind of thing that would be trouble for you because of your association with someone with a past like Carlos." She explained.

I felt the heat of tears burning my eyes and I was practically shaking. Joe had told my mother I was in danger and that it was Carlos' fault. He hadn't given up, he was just trying a different ploy to get to me. I didn't care if the story was true and if the guy was Mateo or not. I just wanted to get out of here and find Morelli to deliver a little message of my own.

"Thanks for passing this along," I said working to control myself. "I think I need to leave now." I told her, hoping down from the stool where I'd been sitting but hanging onto the bar so I wouldn't fall over.

"Ranger," I said in a raised voice.

"Stephanie," My mother began, "You don't need to leave before dessert. I made your favorite."

I was tempted to stay; it would have been a shame to let the cake go to waste, but when Ranger walked in looking very concerned, my anger reignited and I resolved to deal with Joe on this once and for all.

"Babe?" He asked putting his hand on mine to relax the grip I had on the bar.

"Mom, I'm sorry about leaving like this, but I have to go talk to Joe. I won't have him using you to threaten me." She came around the bar and stood in front of me while I was talking so I smiled at her trying to reassure her that I wasn't mad at her. "I'll call you tomorrow," I offered an olive branch.

Ranger took the hint and pulled me to him to make our way to the car. As we walked from the house to the car I heard my mom call out, "I'll have your father drop off some cake at that office building tomorrow." A little of the ice I'd built up dropped away at that comment. My mother was telling me she loved me as clearly as if she'd said the words.

He led me to the car in silence and once we were both belted in he asked what my plan was. I loved that he didn't hit me up for details about what was going. He knew I was upset and was willing to let me run the show.

I grabbed my bag and got out a cell phone to call the control room. I recognized Woody's southern greeting as soon as the words RangeMan were out of his mouth. "Woody, it's Stephanie."

"Hey Bomber, what can I do for you?" He asked in a friendly tone.

"Does RangeMan still track Morelli's movements?" I asked, hoping to avoid driving around town to find Joe.

"Uh…yea," He said very uncertain. Then it hit me Woody might think my finding Joe would hurt Ranger so I cleared his conscience.

"It's okay, I'm with Ranger and I need to find Joe quickly to deliver a message. Can you tell me where he is?" I prompted.

A few clicks of the keyboard later he replied, "His car is showing up as being at his house, but we don't have a man on him anymore so I can't guarantee he is there too."

"No problem, thanks for the information, Woody." I replied before hanging up.

Ranger had a single eyebrow raised and I told him, "Let's go to Joe's house and pay him a little visit."

On the ride over I told him about what my mother had conveyed to me and based on the grip he had on the steering wheel I had to assume he wasn't pleased to know that Mateo was asking questions about me and my relationship with Carlos. It took him a few seconds to slam his blank face down and ask, "So what's your plan here?"

"I want to try and see if I can get a better description of the guy he saw at Pino's so you can tell if it really was Mateo. And I want to politely tell him to leave my mother alone. If he has something to say to me he knows my cell phone number." I said feeing the anger begin to rise once more. Perhaps describing my intent to be polite was a bit of a stretch.

Ranger opened my door for me and took my hand to help me out. I was dizzy still but the rage I felt was helping me to push through it. We walked quickly up the back steps and I pounded on the door, ignoring the doorbell.

Joe opened the door and saw us both standing there but only addressed me by sarcastically saying, "Cupcake, nice of you to stop by."

"Cut the shit, Joe, I am not your Cupcake." I began taking a step in without being invited. Ranger followed closely behind me without saying a word.

"What's going on, Stephanie?" He asked when I turned back to face him.

"You had a conversation about me at Pino's yesterday and I want to know what you can tell me about the guy," I started feeling proud of myself for keeping my tone lighter than I felt.

"The guy was bad news. He wanted to know about your relationship with him," Joe answered tilting his head at Ranger but not moving his eyes from me. It's like he refused to admit there was anyone else in the room. His rudeness was an insult, not only to Ranger, but to the Burg. His mother would be horrified.

"What did he look like?" I asked trying to get us back on topic.

"He was older, maybe in his mid to late fifties, but in good shape. He had darker skin and a thick accent. He wore a trimmed beard, but the way he kept scratching it made me think he had just grown it and wasn't used to the way it itched. If I didn't know better I'd think it was a disguise and he was just sneaking around to get information about you. There was a straight one inch scar over his left eye. I'm telling you, he was bad news." He said using his phrase from before.

"What do you mean 'bad news'?" I pressed him, trying to keep him on point.

"It's not unusual for people to hear about your reputation for disaster and ask questions to see if you are real. But he wasn't the least bit interested in your escapades except how they related to how often you went out alone, and how close you were to the goons at RangeMan." He nodded once more to Ranger when he said the word goon.

That did it. "There are no 'goons' at RangeMan!" I screamed. The volume shift in my voice made Joe jump, and I had a slight bit of satisfaction in that. I took a step closer to him and I was next to the little table in the entrance way in order to slam my hand on it and then hang on for dear life to keep from swaying.

"Cupcake…" He began, but I jumped in once more at the same loud level.

"I told you to stop calling me that!" With my free hand I point at him. "Now you listen to me, and you listen good. Don't you ever go see my mother and imply that I'm in danger because of my relationship with Ranger. If you want to get a message to me pick up the phone. All you did was worry my family and piss me off. I'm not coming back to you. We are done…completely finished."

"I was only trying to let them know that if they accepted this…this relationship, then they needed to accept that it might take their daughter away from them. You need to consider the same thing too Stephanie." He dared to say.

"Consider this, Joe. I'd rather die tonight having known what it was like to be loved completely than live for a hundred years with you pretending to love me and trying to change me." I explained feeling energized by my words. "I'll take an occasional stressful period of danger any day to know that the man supporting me through it loves me and won't blame me for what's happening."

"You need to be sure about what you're saying, Steph. Some things are hard to take back once they're out in the open. When people in the Burg hear that you're with Manoso your chances of us ever getting back together are over. Think long and hard about what that would do to your mother." He warned me.

I know I had slung around a line about this being a polite discussion, but his threat of how a relationship with Ranger instead of him would devastate my mother snapped what little control I had left. Forgetting about my grip on the table I took the two steps necessary to reach his face and let my fist fly. It hit the tender skin on the side of his eye and the ring I was wearing left a gash on the side of his face. "My mother is tougher than you think, Joe." I said as he stood up straight still in shock that I hit him. "After all, she raised me."

I didn't wait for him to respond but began to walk toward the door. Ranger came up behind me and took my hand in his before we began to go down the stairs. I was grateful for his support because I was having a hard time keeping my focus with the combination of the world spinning and my body shaking from the rush of the confrontation hitting me all at once.

"I'm proud of you, Babe," He said as he leaned over me to buckle my seatbelt. I shut my eyes and leaned against the seat belt. Those words did so much more for me than I could describe. I hadn't kept my cool, but that didn't matter to Ranger. I'd stood up for myself, and he understood why that was important.

When we got to Haywood I felt him unbuckle my seatbelt and then pick up my hand and kiss the knuckles. The second his lips made contact my eyes opened. I winced at the sensation of pain when he moved my hand. I didn't realize how hard Joe's head was.

_Ranger's POV_

I buckled Stephanie in the car and told her I was proud of her. The words felt too simple to really convey how I felt. I wanted to support her, and a piece of me wanted to rip Joe apart with my hands for upsetting her. But I knew she needed to do this herself.

The look on Joe's face when she hit him was priceless. I have to admit I was shocked too. I also noticed her form and knew when the blood began to pool and skin started to bruise around his eye immediately that she'd packed enough of a punch to have hurt her hand. Maybe I should see if she wanted to work with Binkie in the gym on her punching skills. He'd been a Golden Glove boxer in the Navy, I'm sure he could give her some pointers on throwing a punch without breaking any fingers.

When we got to the office I lifted her hand to kiss her swollen knuckles and the grimace that crossed her beautiful face wasn't lost on me. Silently I swore that Bobby wasn't here. He was slated to start back in the office tomorrow, but his evenings would be at Gina's house instead of Haywood from now on. I considered suggesting we head over to St. Francis for some x-rays, but I could see from the look on her face she'd fight me on it. If we were careful with her hand tonight, Bobby could look at it in the morning and I figured that would probably be alright.

Without saying a word I pulled her over the console and into my lap. "Are you okay with staying here tonight?" I asked between soft kisses.

"It's like you said, I don't care where we sleep as long as we sleep together." She quoted my words back to me.

I opened the door and managed to get us both out, but a little stagger on her first steps was all it took for me to pick her up and carry her bridal style to the elevator. Her adrenaline was gone from the confrontation and she was exhausted.

"I can walk," She weakly protested.

"I know," I replied not wanting to insult her by explaining the effects of burning off all her energy at Morelli's. Plus, I liked the feel of her in my arms.

When the elevator doors opened Cal and Tank were standing there each sporting a blank face. There was no way it was a coincidence they happened to be coming down at this moment. Steph's eyes were closed and she was relaxing into me completely unaware that we were not alone.

Tank held up a piece of paper and I knew that Mateo had made contact. When I glanced over to Cal, his face was radiating fury. I followed his gaze and saw that he was looking at Stephanie's swollen and now rapidly bruising hand. As if it wasn't enough that I had to deal with Castillo, now I had a pissed off ex-Navy seal apparently blaming me for breaking part of Stephanie.

Tomorrow would have to be a better day, right?


	20. Developments

_JE created and perfected these characters. Alas, they are not mine._

_Fredda (Rangergirl1234) thank you once again for working so quickly on this chapter as the beta. You get what I'm trying to do, and I appreciate it._

**Chapter 20 - Developments**

_Ranger's POV_

I followed the guys with Stephanie still in my arms. At this point I assumed she had fallen asleep and I hoped her ability to stay out through anything would hold true right now so that she didn't have to hear what the guys needed to brief me on.

I sat on the leather sofa in my office and kept her in my lap. She turned her face to my chest and took a deep breath so I assumed she was out. Her breathing was even and deep and her face was completely relaxed. Briefly, I thought of how lovely and sweet she looked, and how I hated that the discussion we were about to have would most likely mean a few more restrictions on her freedom.

Cal spoke first as soon as Tank shut the door. "What the hell happened to her hand?" There was an obvious assumption that I had allowed someone to hurt her and the accusation wasn't lost on me.

I looked at him for a minute allowing my face to show how I didn't appreciate his challenge of me. I waited for him to break the eye contact by looking at her and then replied, "We had dinner at her parents' house tonight and her mother told her that Morelli had stopped by to deliver a message. Apparently Mateo was at Pino's yesterday asking questions about Stephanie and our relationship. He got a few answers before Morelli shut it down and his message was that she was in danger as long as she hung around with me."

"What did Steph say to that?" Cal asked with the hint of a smile on his face. Clearly he knew Stephanie well enough to know that wouldn't be well received.

"She stood up and we left immediately and went to Morelli's house to confront him. He told her the same thing, gave me enough details to know it was definitely Mateo and that he's grown a beard to change some of his appearance, and then he referred to us as 'goons'." I continued.

This time Tank laughed a little. "What did our little girl say to that?"

"That's when she started yelling and really set him straight." I couldn't help but smile at the memory. "But she really lost it when he told her if the Burg gossips got a hold of the fact she and I were involved then he wouldn't take her back and Steph needed to consider what that would do to her mother."

Cal laughed. "I'll bet that went over well."

"I didn't even see it coming. She reared back, balled up an awkward fist, and decked him at his left eye. The ring she's got on tore through the skin and the swelling and bruising was beginning to show up when she told him her mother was tougher than he thought because she had raised her." I couldn't help but laugh at the memory. Steph never disappointed.

"So that," Cal said pointing to her hand, "was from the punch?"

"Yea, I'm thinking Bobby will need to take a look at it in the morning, and depending on what he says, I may ask Binkie to work with her on how to throw a punch. If she's going to get more physical I want to be sure the only person getting hurt is the one she's hitting." I explained.

Since we had discussed all of this and she hadn't moved I assumed she was out enough for us to keep talking. "I'm guessing you didn't meet us in the parking garage to get an update on our evening out."

Tank handed me a piece of paper which I read immediately. The handwriting made me think it was scribbled in a hurry and the text didn't give me much to go by. "_See how you like it._"

"How'd you get this?" I asked.

Tank filled me in, "It came in a plain envelope in today's mail. We dusted it for prints and they match his so he isn't trying to hide who sent it." He paused for a minute and then added, "There's more."

I looked up at my second in command as he pulled a small square piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to me. It was a picture of Stephanie and me in the dinner a couple of days ago. We were holding hands across the table and her expression was one of pure joy. Someone had taken a black marker and put an X over her heart like they were marking a spot on the map. The threat was clear; he was saying for taking his nephew's life he was going to take Stephanie's.

I couldn't stop myself from tightening my arm around her back holding her even closer to me. Everything inside me was screaming for me to take her upstairs, lock her in the apartment, and then go hunt this asshole down until his ability to even look at my Babe, much less hurt her, had been eliminated.

"Has this been distributed?" I asked, wondering who else was aware.

"Only the core team and Cal know," Tank informed me.

"Let's call all the guys together and make this a top priority briefing at 0700. I want to get Steph upstairs so she can rest, and then tomorrow I'll have Bobby look at her hand sometime after she gets up. In the meantime, let's pull together everything we have on Mateo Castillo and brief everyone at the same time"

I hesitated before adding, "We'll need a rotation for watching Steph too. She's not going to like it, but in light of this revelation she can't leave the building alone, and I'd prefer she not leave at all. The only way her staying here will last is if we capture Mateo quickly, so tracking him down will have to have all our resources." I instructed before sliding my arm back under her legs and standing with her once more.

Just before I slipped out the door Cal stopped and brushed her hair away to place a kiss on her forehead. I was surprised that it didn't hook anything in me. Maybe our afternoon connection was what I needed to work out my issues about the guys touching her.

Of course Cal had to ruin my moment by pointing to her neck and saying, "Next time try to keep your teeth off her neck. Hell, it looks like she had a run in with a vampire there."

"Mind your own damn business," I replied roughly. I was all for Call wanting to protect Stephanie, but trying to dictate how I loved her wasn't going to be tolerated.

He stepped back and raised his hands in mock surrender. Before I could gloat in my victory Tank chimed in, "RangeMan, he's got a point. I would have thought you, of all people, would have gone a little slower and gentler with our little girl there."

Jesus, it was like living with a building of old prudes. "Worry about your own neck, and leave Stephanie's alone." I told them both, walking out of the office to end the comments.

_Stephanie's POV_

When I woke up the sun was pouring in the windows of Ranger's bedroom. I stretched slowly and then smiled when I realized my legs were a little sore. I guess the acrobatic scene of being driven into against the wall had stretched some muscles that hadn't been used in a long time. I rolled over and hit a wall of muscle behind me making my eyes open quickly.

"Good morning," He said in his sexy voice before kissing me lightly.

"It is now," I agreed and then reveled in the smile he gave as a response. "What time is it?"

"A little after ten," He told me which explained why the sun was so bright.

"Shouldn't you be downstairs working?" I teased.

"I was," He began while curling some of my hair around his finger. "I went to the gym at five, had a briefing with all the guys at seven, did some paperwork, and then came up here about ten minutes ago to see if you'd decided to join the land of the living."

I playfully shoved at him and instantly regretted it as a pain shot through my hand, making me pull it back quickly and suck in a breath between my teeth.

He took my hand and gently pulled it back to him to look at it, running his fingers over the top so softly I barely felt it. "Bobby is back this morning, and I've asked him to take a look at your hand. But from the look of it, I have a feeling he's going to say an x-ray is necessary."

I whined a little thinking only I could be so stupid as to break my hand punching Joe Morelli.

"When does Bobby have time to see me?" I asked, wondering how much time I had to make myself presentable.

"He'll be stuck in his office the next couple of days catching up on paperwork so there's no rush," Ranger explained. "Hell, he'll probably try and come up with excuses to keep you in his exam room once you go down just to keep from sitting behind his desk."

We laughed about Bobby hating to do paperwork and then talked a little more before Ranger told me, "Why don't you get ready for the day and then come to see me on five. We'll go down to three where Bobby's exam room is together to see what he thinks about your hand. After that, we need to talk about Mateo Castillo. The guys have some new intel, and I want to be sure you are in the loop."

I agreed and made my way to the bathroom on shaky legs despite Ranger's steady arm to hold on to. If this didn't get better while I was getting ready I was going to ask Bobby about it. I didn't want to think about it as a permanent side effect of the virus and if there was anything that could be done to lessen it I wanted to try it.

_Ranger's POV_

I knew before she ever walked in that Steph was on the floor. The general noise level grew and I could hear things like, "Rocky" and "Slugger" being yelled out. The guys were damn proud of her for giving it to Morelli last night, especially when Tank included her defense of us being called goons. The guys didn't need any more reasons to love her but stories like that one touched us all. Very few of the guys had people that would stand up for them, so her actions spoke volumes to them about her character.

I stood at my door and watched them surround her, but after only a few minutes I could tell what they meant to be a supportive circle was giving her trouble. Trying to acknowledge the voices coming from all around her with no one supporting or steadying her was making her dizzy. I hurried over and pushed my way through to slide my arms around her waist and pull her back to my chest. I placed a soft kiss on her cheek and whispered, "I've got you, it's alright."

She nodded and made a soft sound that I told me she appreciated my interruption of her fan club. "Alright guys, I don't pay you to harass Stephanie. Get to work!" I pretended to be stern with them.

"Are you ready to head down?" I asked once the guys cleared away.

She nodded yes and I took her hand in mine and led the way.

Just as I'd warned her, Bobby was thrilled to see us walk in. "Hey Bomber, how are you?" He asked, throwing his arms around her in a tight hug.

"I'm okay," She said in a stage voice as though she couldn't breathe because of his pressure.

They talked about his daughter for a while and then I reminded Bobby of the reason for our visit. He had Stephanie hop up on the exam table and looked at her hand closely, poking in various places and asking about her pain level and mobility. It was still swollen, had turned a dark shade of purple, and could barely be made into a fist.

"I don't like the look of that Steph. I'm pretty sure something is broken, but it is too hard for me to tell just what was affected without an x-ray. I think if you're up for a field trip we should get you into a hand specialist at an orthopedic surgeon's office and see what they say. It's possible nothing is broken, but I'd be surprised if that's the case."

Steph nodded, not surprised since I'd told her the same thing while we were lounging in the bed this morning. I was surprised when she slid to the edge of the table to get down and then said there was something else she needed to talk to him about.

_Stephanie's POV_

In a rare show of shock, both of Ranger's eyebrows went up when I told Bobby there was something else I needed to talk to him about.

Bobby sat back down on his short stool and wheels and gave me his full attention. Now that I had brought it up I suddenly felt embarrassed about it and I could feel the heat in my cheeks where I was blushing.

Since I'd brought it up I knew neither of the guys would let me get away with shutting down so I just laid it out there. "Since I got over the virus I've been dizzy. I thought it would get better as I got my strength back, but if anything it's gotten worse. When I change position, it seems like the world is spinning and I can't make it more than a few steps without stumbling or falling. I know dizziness could be a side effect of the virus I had and I wondered if there was anything that could be done."

Bobby's blank doctor face fell as I spoke and I saw what appeared to be pain in his eyes. He ran his hand over his short hair and let out a long breath. "From everything I read about the virus before Ranger came home, a good number of survivors have permanent vertigo issues. I thought you might be safe from it because people in good health might be immune, but when I heard you'd come down with it so soon after Ranger leaving, I had to assume you were already worn down from the exertion of caring for him which might have made you more vulnerable to a severe form of the illness."

"Does that mean nothing can be done?" I asked trying to keep the tears from coming.

"I didn't say that. It's possible that you are still worn down and in time your body will adjust and you will be fine. We would need to get you in with an ear nose and throat specialist to have some tests run to see if there is a physical explanation, like an inner ear infection, that could be causing this too. It seems like a bit of a long shot, but your dizziness may be unrelated to the virus. So until I can find someone to give you an exam, I wouldn't jump to any conclusions." He advised.

"In the meantime, there are some medications that may help, but they have side effects too. You may want to read about the meds, and if the dizziness seems worse than the possible effects of the pills, you may want to give that a try. I'll call a doctor I consult with and have him forward some information and I'll try to get a referral for a top notch ENT as well." He promised as he put his large dark hands over mine.

"Don't worry Stephanie. I told you before I left your apartment, that no matter what happened we would take care of you, and I meant it. We will figure out what's going on and sort it out together, alright?" He said in a voice so sincere I had no choice but to believe him.

Bobby said he would call the orthopedic practice RangeMan usually used to see about getting an appointment today and Ranger reminded him it needed to be secured. I looked at him questioning what that meant, but he just put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed as though that was supposed to tell me something. I assumed it was telling me to let it go and he would explain it later but quite frankly I was feeling out of control with too many things in my life and the timing of when he explained that comment was going to be on my terms.

Bobby walked back to his office and I turned to Ranger, "What was that?" I asked. "Why does the doctor's office need to be secured for me to go? What's happened that I don't know about?"

Ranger put his hands on my shoulder and pushed me back slightly on the table. I assumed he realized I was at the end of my rope and so I needed to be comfortable while he did some quick explaining.

Instead of talking he reached in one of the pockets in his cargos and pulled out a folded up piece of paper and handed it to me. When I opened it, a smaller square of paper fell out. The large sheet simply said, "_See how you like it_," which didn't mean anything to me. But when I turned over the picture it made perfect sense. I put my injured hand over my open mouth in shock when I saw the snapshot of Ranger and me at the diner. I would have said it was a lovely picture if someone hadn't put a big black X over my heart. I didn't need to ask who it was from. Ranger had said they had some new intel on Castillo and I guessed this was it.

I took a few deep breaths while the little stars that had been dancing in my vision disappeared and then asked, "Do we have any idea where he is now?"

Ranger leaned against the table between my legs and pulled my face to his chest while rubbing my back. "I've got most of the guys out looking and all the contract workers I can call in. He's out there, Babe, and I'm going to find him." He promised.

He didn't need to tell me what would happen when RangeMan found Castillo. My guess is he would disappear and never be heard from again. Strangely, I was okay with that. I didn't take to well with being threatened, especially since he was really threatening Ranger by using me.

Before I could respond Bobby came back in and announced, "Good news. Dr. Wells can see Steph in thirty minutes. If we leave now we can have a team secure the hall and take her straight to x-ray and carry the films with us for her appointment."

I shut my eyes when Ranger kissed my forehead and asked if I was okay with that. Okay or not, it seemed like it needed to be done so I was all for getting it over with.

_Ranger's POV_

Stephanie's leg was bouncing and the thumbnail of her good hand was being chewed on between her front teeth. I wasn't sure if she was more anxious about seeing the doctor about her hand or the threat from Castillo. Everything had happened so quickly this morning that I didn't feel like we'd had a chance to talk about it.

I was just about to tell her to relax since the core team was with us to keep her safe when Tank's voice came over the earpiece announcing the all clear. As soon as he spoke Lester tapped on the door of the SUV twice and I opened the door and stepped out first looking around for any movement before turning back to help Stephanie out.

We were parked four feet from the service entrance but I wasn't taking any chances on a sniper that we couldn't see taking away the most important thing in my life. Once inside Cal walked in front, I stayed at Steph's side and Lester brought up the rear as we made our way from the entrance to the x-ray facility where Tank was outside the door. A quick nod told me there was no one in the room so we walked straight in.

The technician charged with taking the images looked like he was about to pass out. Steph must have picked up on it too because she said, "I'm Stephanie and I assume you've been told you have to take images of my hand without hurting me at all, right?"

The kid nodded and Steph smiled at him which instantly made him relax. "I promise to be quiet if it hurts if you promise to work quickly so we can get out of here, okay?"

He nodded once more leaving me to wonder if he could talk at all. Apparently Steph wasn't phased. I guess working around the guys helped her to read people better because she walked over the table and stood in front of it before asking, "What do you need me to do?"

Her question pulled him out of his daze and he began to work efficiently. I could tell he was being gentle with her hand but she still grimaced a couple of times. True to her word though, she didn't make a sound.

We stood around waiting for a few minutes and he came out holding a CD which contained the images of her x-rays to carry upstairs. I began to lead her away but Steph turned back and said, "You did a great job, thank you," as I opened the door. I assumed it was to help him calm down since he knew the guys heard her praise. I wondered if there was ever a time when she wasn't thinking about ways to help other people.

_Stephanie's POV_

We followed the same little parade routine except Bobby was not in the front with Cal. We didn't stop to register with the receptionist and we walked into a room that appeared to be a surgical suit. It was full of equipment I didn't want to think about how it was used, and was big enough for all the guys to come in with me. I was going to complain that they didn't all need to be there, but I figured it would save time later in keeping me from having to retell what happened repeatedly.

Dr. Wells walked in, looking at a thick file that I had to assume was mine. I guessed Bobby brought my records because I'd never been to this practice before. He shut the folder and looked around the room quickly before settling on me to speak. "Miss Plum, you've had quite a medical history for someone so young."

My standard response of, "They weren't my fault," came out and caught smiles creeping up on the guys faces. I decided to correct myself, "Well, all of them weren't."

The doctor laughed slightly and I decided right away that I liked him. He hadn't blanched at the sight of my guys and he had a sense of humor. If I had to see a doctor he seemed alright in my book. He began to examine my hand running through the exact same series of questions and tests that Bobby had done. Finally he pointed at the disk and I handed it to him, watching carefully as he put it in a computer in the corner of the room and then clicked through the multiple images.

He looked over and asked me to come over to where he was so that I could see the results. "It's definitely broken, but I can't figure out how you managed to do this," he commented, pointing at the white lines on the grey image on the screen.

"Do what?" I asked while all the guys gathered around us.

He picked up my hand and pointed to my ring finger. "This finger is broken in two places and these two," he said running a finger along my index and middle fingers, "Are each broken simply with one fracture each. The confusion is here," he indicated my knuckles and the bones in my hand leading into the fingers. "There are multiple fractures and the most troublesome is the complex nature of the bones in your hand. In two places the bones have slipped in their position which means surgery is going to be required to fix this."

This time I felt light headed, but it had nothing to do with the virus. I was prepared to leave here with a cast but not an appointment to go under the knife. He spent the next half hour answering questions from the guys as I had grown completely silent beating myself up for not being able to control my temper any better and for being such a wimp that when I did finally decide to stand up for myself I couldn't even do that without getting hurt. No wonder Ranger needed to bring the whole core team to get me to the doctor's office. I was hardly capable of moving around the Burg without hurting myself.

Eventually the talking stopped and I realized everyone was staring at me, expecting a response of some sort. I decided an honest response was the way to go. "I'm sorry, I zoned out a little there, but what ever you guys decide is best will be fine with me. Just tell me when to show up."

My answer got real laughter from everyone and Ranger pulled me to him. "Can we have the room for a few minutes?" He asked Dr. Wells.

"Take all the time you need. The next surgery I have scheduled in here will be hers, so the room is yours." He replied, making me wonder just what I had agreed to.

Ranger tilted his head to the door and the guys followed the doctor out leaving us alone. I turned around and put my arms around him trying to get a measure of his strength to help me face whatever he was about to say. He waited a few minutes giving me a chance to pull myself together before talking. "Babe, Dr. Wells will do the surgery here early in the morning. We'll take you back to Haywood right after to recuperate. He didn't think it would take too long to insert the two small pins into the bone to set them correctly to heal. You'll be in a cast for a few weeks and then a brace for a while after that."

That didn't sound too bad. I'd survived casts before so I knew the drill. And, I'd had screws in my arm when I was young and tried to jump off the roof to fly. I wondered if my mother would see my hitting Joe as an equal horror to pretending to be Wonder Woman.

"Now," he said getting my attention once more. "Tell me why you're so quiet."

I looked up and knew that I couldn't brush this off; he knew me too well to let me get away with pretending it was just that my hand hurt. "Ranger," I started but his face fell and I stopped to ask what was wrong.

"I'm back to Ranger now?" He asked reminding me I had been calling him Carlos.

"You'll always be Ranger in a way. That's what I've called you for years and when we're out that is just what comes to mind. When we're alone in the apartment, or relaxing with no worries, then you're Carlos."

"I'm Carlos all the time, Babe." He reminded me.

"I'm sure you will be, but for right now, I see them as two distinct parts of the same man," I offered as an explanation.

"As long as you realize they are one in the same. It's just me Steph. The guy that took you against the wall yesterday and then carried you upstairs cradled in his arms is the same one that wears black all the time and is armed every time he leaves his apartment." He said looking into my eyes as he spoke.

Abruptly I said the first thing that came into my head, "I'm sorry for the trouble you have to go through because of me."

"What?" He exclaimed with a little irritation seeping into his voice. "This isn't trouble. This is me being with the woman I love while she gets treatment for an injury that was incurred standing up for me." He began again while pushing me backward to the steel table in the center of the room. "This is me, supporting you while you go through something that I think is frightening to you, so that you can realize you'll never be alone again."

He sat me on the table and began to kiss me before saying, "And this is me loving you with all that I have, knowing that you deserve far better, but grateful that you'll accept me for what I am."

I grabbed two fists of his hair and then pulled his mouth back to cover my own. "And this is me being greedy and taking all that you offer and giving you what I am as a weak gift, but all I have to give in return."

His mouth covered mine and claimed it. Carlos laid me back on the table with his arm as a support under my neck and his other hand roaming down my side, lightly tickling my ribs, and then grazing the spot he'd kissed yesterday against the wall before moving to the middle and passing slowly over my very hot center.

"Oh god," I moaned at his attention. The fact that his chest shook barely registered over the magic of his hand.

"I'm not sure I can handle another name, Babe, but if you want to try god, I'll be glad to play along in private." He teased me.

I kept his face near mine with the grip I maintained on his hair in order to ask, "What time do I have to be here in the morning?"

"Six," he said before licking the shell of my ear.

"Then you need to either take me here, or get me back to a bed, because you've started something that you need to finish." I emphatically announced.

Before he could respond the door to the room opened and Bobby's voice cut through, "We've got the truck…" his words died away as he realized what he was interrupting.

Before he could apologize Cal followed him in and said, "Oh hell, Ranger. We all know she's irresistible, but you can't just take her anytime there's a horizontal surface."

I looked up, sure my face was shaded a dark hue of red, but still I found Cal's teasing of Ranger funny. Very few people would dare to speak to him in that way, so the public challenge was too much to resist smiling at.

Before Ranger could respond Tank came in and had a reaction similar to Cal's. "RangeMan, are you crazy? She's got a broken hand and is covered in bruises, and you want to do this on a steal bed that's only a couple of feet wide? Man, where's the control that used to be legendary?"

That was all he could take and he stood up with his blank face anchored in place. "When we get back to Haywood, I'll meet you both on the mats and we'll see just how intact my control is."

_Ranger's POV_

After calling the guys on their insubordination in the surgical suite, we got Steph out of there and down the hall to the back door in perfect silence. I had to admit, their words were funny, but I couldn't allow them to start questioning my control and leadership right now. When we were offline it was one thing, but not when we were working. I had no idea the many ways a relationship with Stephanie would affect my life.

We were walking down the last ten feet of the hall to the service entrance we'd used earlier when Stephanie stopped abruptly. Les barely stopped in time to keep from running into her.

"Babe?" I asked, worried that her dizziness had gotten worse all of a sudden.

"Something's not right," she warned.

"What is it?" I asked. I knew better than to question her intuition but was curious what she was picking up on in a secured hall way.

"I don't know," she replied with a confused face. "Maybe I'm just worried over nothing, but I had a feeling that something was off."

I put my arm around her hoping to show that I believed her. I put my hand over the throat mic I wore to activate it and asked Tank to report. He should be in position on the other side of the door, so I wondered if he could see anything out of the ordinary.

There was only silence. After a maddening three seconds he replied. "Movement we can't identify. Hold tight."

"Babe, there's something going on out there and I need to check in with Tank. Stay here with Lester and don't leave his side." I instructed, sorry that my voice sounded so much like a military commander at the moment but not knowing any other way to get my point across.

She nodded holding my eyes with her own and I trusted that she would stay put.

I looked at Lester but didn't say anything. My cousin was a pain in the ass, but he was also a top notch soldier. The brief pause told him more than words could. He had to keep her safe no matter what.

I knocked on the door twice and then stepped outside to see what was happening.

_Stephanie's POV_

This was ridiculous. I was being paranoid. I turned around to look at Lester and tell him I was sorry for the trouble and his expression was one that I didn't recognize. His face was stone and for the first time I lost the carefree jokester that kept me laughing and saw only the battle tested soldier that served with Ranger. I found a new respect for this complicated man in front of me.

I decided to just be quiet because he was clearly in a whole different zone than I was capable of. Before I could turn around I detected a bit of movement from one of the doors.

"I think someone is behind that door," I managed to warn before it opened abruptly to reveal a man with a strange looking gun. I knew there were probably other details I should focus on but I couldn't help but be distracted by the barrel because it wasn't round like all the guns I'd ever seen before.

My gut reaction was to move out of the way, so I took a step backward. But my equilibrium wasn't there and I stumbled and fell just as the mystery man aimed the gun, not down at me but at Lester and pulled the trigger. It barely made a sound as something flew toward us. Les moved marginally to put himself in front of me and drew his own weapon, but it was too late.

"No! I yelled as Les went down with his gun still in his hand and a weird yellow thing sticking out of his neck. I reached for it to pull it out but the gun quietly popped again and my world went black.


	21. Curiosity Killed the Cat

_None of the characters are mine. Thanks to JE for giving me such great guys to work with._

_Fredda (Rangergirl1234) thank you again for working so quickly and kindly as the beta on this story. _

**Chapter 21 – Curiosity Killed the Cat**

_Ranger's POV_

The door closed behind me and even though I hated leaving Stephanie, I could tell by the look on Lester's face she was in good hands. I had seen my cousin in battle situations before and he is one of the few people I would absolutely trust to have my back, even if it meant his own life. She would be safe with him.

I saw Tank speaking to Cal and ran over to them. Cal looked at me and asked, "Why are you here? Who's watching Steph?"

"You need to get your head in the game of securing the parking lot, and stop worrying about what I'm doing. She's with Lester and he's got his game face on." I told him, giving all the explanation I was willing to give.

"You know her; trouble seems to follow her everywhere. We could handle this." Cal pressed.

I'd had enough of being second guessed by the tattooed man in front of me. "You can get to work and keep your opinions to yourself, or you can get in the truck and go home. Either way, I'm done listening." I barked out.

Then I shifted my look to Tank and said, "Report."

"We've got movement on the top of that building," he pointed to a five story office complex approximately a hundred yards to the north. "And there's intermittent movement around the cars in the lot to the east." He said without pointing.

I nodded and put on the mirrored sun glasses from my pocket so that I could look more directly without having my gaze followed. There were two men in the parking lot and their heads would appear at one vehicle only to disappear and reappear near a different vehicle. On the roof top, the presence was a single individual standing perfectly still, but it was nearly impossible to see if there was anything in their hand or lying on the roof. Until they moved, there wasn't a lot we could do to completely secure the area.

I checked the angle of the roof to the door and calculated if we kept her at a level lower than half the height of the truck, and we moved the truck to be a couple feet closer he wouldn't have a shot. The two people in the parking lot I thought we could block out by keeping Steph between us and them. I didn't want her sitting around waiting any longer than was necessary after our conversation in the surgical suite, so I told Cal to move the truck and explained the way I needed it to be pointed to offer the most coverage.

It's possible I was overreacting and neither one of the threats was real, but I wasn't willing to bet Steph's life on a possibility. Satisfied with the angle of the truck, I told Tank to keep the two feet between the door and the truck secure. His bulk was enough to do that just by standing there.

I used the mic at my throat to alert Santos that we were ready for them, and then I knocked on the door two times. Our protocol usually said the person inside the building or vehicle would open the door to exit but when the door didn't open I decided to go in and check out the hold up.

As soon as the door opened my heart fell. I've been in combat situations where bullets were flying and I began to think my time on earth had ended but I was never afraid like I was when I saw Santos on the ground unconscious with his gun in his hand. I forgot about the mic and keeping a low profile and yelled, "Santos is down, I'm going in!"

I heard Tank conveying the information and knew he and Cal would follow me but I wasn't willing to wait on them. As soon as I entered the hall I knew Stephanie wasn't there. The feeling that I had when she was close by was gone and my panic only grew.

Kneeling beside Les I saw a small yellow dart and pulled it out while checking for a pulse. He was alive but he was out cold. I looked at the object in my hand closer; it wasn't like a typical fast acting dart with a drug painted on the tip. This seemed to have liquid in it, like it had a time release mechanism to keep the victim incapacitated for an extended period.

I heard footsteps thundering around the corner and didn't bother looking up. I knew if it was someone who was armed, Tank or Cal would take them out. Bobby knelt by my side and repeated the process of checking his pulse. "It's slow, but it's steady," He reported to everyone's relief. I gave him the dart and explained what I'd observed before standing up and looking for any sign of struggle or any clues about where Stephanie was.

It was a sterile hallway with nothing on the walls or floors. It was clean so there was no dust or dirt to leave a trail for us to follow. There were two doors off the hall and I had to assume one of them had been used to get access to the hall. Bobby had sealed the area from inside the doctor's office to prevent anyone coming in, and they had been locked when we checked on our way to the exit. I knew Bobby needed to stay with Santos until he woke up to be sure it was only a sedative that had knocked him out and his condition didn't change. That left three of us to cover the two doors.

I took charge, falling into a habit that had been ingrained in me after years of planning missions. "Brown, take Santos to the truck and monitor him there, and keep watch over the back of the building. If anyone tries to exit call us on the comm unit." He nodded and Tank helped him lift my cousin in a fireman's carry over his shoulder.

"We need to see what's behind those doors. My guess is that's where they took Steph. If they are both hallways we'll split up with you two taking the first one, and I'll clear the second." Both men nodded their understanding without question.

Tank approached the first door and used his powerful size fifteen boot to kick it open. A quick glance with weapons drawn showed it was a small janitor's closet. The ceiling was solid and there wasn't an air vent. This was definitely not the escape route.

I caught their eyes and we all knew that meant behind the other door was the path someone had used to get Stephanie out of the building. If the sedative dart used to take out Santos was so fast acting he didn't have time to fully draw his weapon then we needed to be aware as soon as the door opened that the same drug might be aimed at us.

As if he understood what I thinking Tank spoke up, "I'll clear the door first. If I go down, then it will buy you time to take out the shooter and get to Stephanie."

I would have liked to disagree and take the danger upon myself, it was how I usually handled things, but I couldn't risk being taken out and miss something that could bring my Babe back to me. I nodded and hoped he understood how much his possible sacrifice meant to me.

"Hang on Babe, we're coming," I said quietly to the charged air around me.

_Stephanie's POV_

I didn't need to open my eyes to know what had happened. I'd been kidnapped again and the fact that my hands and ankles were handcuffed together told me my assailant wasn't taking this lightly. There was a gag in my mouth which made me panic slightly, but I could hear Ranger's voice in my head from my apartment telling me to calm down, so I took a few deep breaths and tried to relax. There was no point in revealing how upset I was to my kidnappers.

I was afraid to look around in case someone was guarding me closely. Instead, I listened and tried to figure out where I was. It felt like I was moving and the hard surface I was laying on made me guess I was in the back of a truck. Whatever I had been drugged with took me out right away, so without knowing where I was, I had no way of knowing how long I'd been missing. I wondered if the guys even knew I was gone yet.

Almost as if on cue, I felt the truck come to a sudden stop, and after a few seconds there were two distinct voices and the doors to the truck were opened. "Take her into the back and put her in the closet. Don't take the dart out until you are ready to shut the door. I want her to panic when she wakes up and has no idea where she is. Once we hear her screaming for help, then we'll begin to work on her to make a movie for Mr. Manoso that he'll never forget."

Someone grabbed my ankles and slid me to the end of the truck scraping my face and testing my resolve to be quiet. I had to force myself to go limp to keep up the act that I was asleep. If they thought I was going to scream for help, they had another thing coming. There was no way they were going to use me as a part of a sick plan to hurt Ranger. I just had to stay 'asleep', and then when he locked me in the closet, I'd work on getting out of the cuffs. I could use the circulation in my arms again.

_Ranger's POV_

We got to the end of the hall and it led us to a stairwell. We took the single flight of stairs and it opened to a mechanical room with a door to the outside at the side of the building. My hopes sank as the sun hit my face and I had to accept the reality that she was gone. She had been taken right from underneath me and Cal was right; I shouldn't have left her alone. She knew something was wrong and I left her. Now my cousin was unconscious and my heart was gone.

Tank pointed up, "There's a camera at the side of the building pointing to this exit. Let's go see if they use it."

I holstered my gun and nodded that they should go ahead and do that. I was having a hard time pushing my emotions away and I needed to get control in order to focus on my goal of finding Stephanie. Tank disappeared immediately and Cal hung back. I wasn't in the mood for a lecture, but figured I deserved one anyway so I didn't cut him off when he approached me to say something.

"Don't worry, man. We'll find her." He said with a slap on my back before walking back to the door.

"Wait," I stopped him. "That's it?"

"What were you expecting? Did you think I was going to blame you for this?" He asked. My silence must have been answer enough. "I told you, this kind of shit just happens to Steph. We've got to focus on getting her back. I know it's killing you that she's gone. I know what she means to me and how hard it has made it to focus. If I were in your shoes, I'd be about to fall apart. You didn't do this, but you are the one person that has the skills to get her back. Stay out here and get yourself together, and then come back inside to lead the charge."

With that he left me alone. I didn't know what to do next. I'd never been in a position before that I didn't know what to do. I knew Tank would find out about the tape, and if there was anything on it we'd get a copy to review. Right now Cal was right. I needed to get a grip so that I could find Steph. It's what I did and what I was good at. But there was a feeling in my stomach I'd never had before, and I didn't know what to do with it. I needed Stephanie here to help me channel that feeling. She understood me as no other had, and would know what I needed to hear.

My face felt wet and I reached my hand up and realized I had allowed tears to escape. It had been years since I'd done something like that. I brushed them off, quickly realizing I was allowing myself to panic and fall apart; the very thing I drilled into the men that they should never do. I knew Castillo had Stephanie and since he probably wanted to make me suffer I doubted he would kill her right away. He had a reputation for teaching lessons in Columbia and I figured he wouldn't have left that skill at home. Steph was alive and I needed to find her before Mateo became bored with the game of taunting me.

Thinking of it that way made me angry and I finally had an emotion I knew how to handle. The door was still open behind me and without thinking I turned around and hit it with my fist. That was probably not the smartest thing I've ever done as the throbbing set in almost immediately, but the satisfaction of hitting something felt good. I was ready. The pain in my hand would keep me focused if I started to drift back into useless emotions.

Mateo had no idea what he had done. Only Stephanie knew how to handle the beast within me. Castillo had let it lose, and with no one there to tame it, my instinct to hunt and kill was itching to be freed.

_Stephanie's POV_

The creep carrying me let me fall onto the floor making no attempt to soften the blow. I was biting my tongue to keep from screaming when my hand hit the floor and I landed on top of it. The next time I ran into Joe Morelli I was going to hit him again for breaking my hand with his hard head. Hopefully, I'd still have a cast on, so it would do more damage to him than me.

I felt someone pull at my neck and assumed that was the dart they had used to drug me. I wasn't sure how quickly I was supposed to wake up once they pulled it out but I was going to be quiet no matter what. They took the gag out of my mouth and threw it over my face. I heard a different voice and realized there were at least three people involved in my capture. Neither of the two voices talking sounded mature nor in control enough to be Mateo, so I assumed he wasn't nearby.

The two goons decided to put a jar in the closet with me in case I needed to go to the bathroom because neither of them was willing to clean it up if I made a mess. I was actually grateful for their thoughtfulness despite the motivation. It would make staying in the closet quietly for longer possible. Then one of them with a softer voice added, "I'm putting some water in there too. I don't want her to get sick because we didn't take care of her. Enough has already changed from what this was supposed to be." Without any other explanation of what that was supposed to mean, they shut the door and I heard nothing.

The silence told me the door must be unusually thick because I knew they had been talking. That gave me the courage I needed to open my eyes. Of course it was pitch black in there with no light, so it didn't do me much good to try and look around. Not being able to see brought back the feeling of helplessness when Stiva had me in a coffin. I could feel my hands getting sweaty and my breathing was getting faster. I needed to get out of this closet.

'Stop it!' I yelled in my head. These emotions were getting me nowhere, except further away from my goal of getting loose. If they thought I was still out, I probably had some time before they checked on me again. I needed to get out of the cuffs and use that jar so I would be prepared to wait them out.

It was awkward and hard to move with my hands cuffed behind me but I eventually got myself into a seated position. Thank goodness I'd asked Ranger to help me learn this while we were stuck in my apartment. I never thought I'd look back at his illness as a good thing, but I suppose in many ways it was. It brought us together. Now I just had to find a way to get us back that way.

I needed something to pick the lock on the cuffs. I quickly thought about what I had on me. My earrings were small so they wouldn't work, and I didn't have a necklace on. My watch was a mechanical one so it probably had a post in it somewhere that would work. Unfortunately I had no way to get it off or open to get to the parts inside. Who was I kidding? I wasn't MacGuyver, and this was way over my head.

I allowed my head to fall back against the wall and took a deep breath to regroup. Then I scooted around letting my fingers comb over the floor trying to find something that could be a tool. Finally my fingers came across an object about three inches long and hard metal. It got bigger at the back and came to a very sharp point. The idiots had taken the dart out of my neck and thrown it on the floor. I knew it would work as long as it didn't break off in the lock.

It felt like it was taking forever, but in reality, it probably only took me fifteen minutes to pick the lock and get my hands free. The pain that flooded my arms when I was able to move them caught me off guard, but in the back of mind I thought I remembered one of the guys talking about that just being the return of proper circulation and if I'd move them despite the pain it would go away quicker. Thank goodness they were right and when the pain began to go away I tackled the job of getting my feet free.

With both of the restraints gone I felt around and located the wide mouth Mason jar the guys threw in the closet with me. This wasn't going to be my finest hour, but I knew it was a good idea, so I let modesty go and swallowed my pride.

_Ranger's POV_

Tank had succeeded in getting the tapes from the security office of the doctor's building. I went to the truck at the back and we agreed since there was no trace of her here, we'd go back to the building to watch it and get a plan of action. Cal had called Woody, Binkie, Hal and Ram in and they were in the parking lot ready for orders. All the guys wanted to be a part of trying to find Stephanie. I had to remember this wasn't just my pain; losing her was a blow to all of us.

I told them to divide into partners and talk to the patients in the doctor's office and anyone in the area to see if they had any information. Knowing there was still someone in the neighborhood in case something developed made me more comfortable about leaving for Haywood.

When I got in the SUV, Lester was sitting up drinking a bottle of water with Bobby eyeing him carefully. "All of it, man. You need to flush it out of your system," the medic instructed.

Lester's jaw was set and there was a dark color in his eye I had only seen a few times in my life. It usually came out right before the knife left his hand- being thrown with lethal accuracy. My cousin was pissed, and at the moment I knew exactly how he felt.

"You okay?" I asked him.

He nodded and then his head dropped slightly. "I'm sorry man. I tried. Steph knew someone was there. She saw the movement, and by the time I turned and got my gun at the ready, he was already firing. I put myself in front of her, but in the end it didn't do any good if he took her anyway."

"Of course it did some good," I told him, wanting to end his taking the blame for her abduction. At the moment I saw the guilt over her kidnapping as mine alone and I wasn't willing to let him shoulder that for me. "It gave her a minute to see the guy that did this. She's had some training and should be able to keep herself going for a while. If she is able to identify who did this, she may be able to reach us with the information and it will make finding her that much easier."

"She was telling me to look out when he shot the gun. She was worried about me." He added softer.

"Of course she was," Bobby chimed in to my relief. "She's always thinking about other people. But Ranger's right. There was nothing else you could do. You bought her some time and you sacrificed yourself to try and save her. You know she'll remember that when we get her back." You could always count on Bobby to look at the brighter side. I wouldn't call him an optimist; he'd seen too many horrors in the Ranger's with us for that. But he did believe in Stephanie. I guess having patched her up so many times when she'd survived the impossible had taught him to never give up on her.

When we got upstairs, Junior and Vince had set up the largest conference room as the control center. Hector had brought in some laptops and hooked up a projector for us to view the disk immediately. They'd also gotten some more information on Castillo who we all assumed was the one responsible. It was a visible reminder that my men were the best at what they did.

The security footage didn't offer much. The door we suspected he'd used to get her out of the building opened and a man that was definitely not Castillo came out with her thrown over his shoulder. He practically threw her into the back of a van and I heard Bobby hiss, recognizing how much that would have hurt. Her hands were cuffed behind her and there was another set around her feet.

Then the man that fired the gun got in the passenger side of the van and it drove off, turning right at the end of the parking lot. So there were at least two men involved. Hector began clicking away at the computer and I saw he was trying to enlarge and enhance the picture of the driver.

It was grainy, but the man had darker skin and a beard. I couldn't guarantee it, but my gut told me it was Mateo.

"I'll kill him," Lester growled from behind me.

"You'll have a hard time doing that if he's dead when you get there," Cal bit back implying he wanted to be the one to take Castillo's life.

It wasn't the first time they'd heard me say something like this, but I felt the need to be sure they understood me, "No, when Mateo comes face to face with his maker, I'll be the one to make the invitation. You can teach him whatever lesson you think is necessary, but the last voice he'll hear on this earth will be mine."

I made eye contact with every man in that room to be sure they heard me. No one looked away and no one said a word.

_Stephanie's POV_

The trouble with being in the dark was that you had no way to know how much time had passed. I was bored and I didn't know if the idiots on the other side of the door should be expecting to hear from me at any moment, or if this was going to take a while. I stood up slowly, trying to keep from hitting my head if there was a shelf in the closet, and smiled when I was able to stretch fully. It felt good to move so I raised my hands and wiggled my legs.

I wondered what the guys were doing. If I had to guess, I'd say one of the conference rooms had been converted into a central control room for the purpose of finding me. I envisioned Hector running a series of complicated programs, trying to dig up information on Castillo, and Ranger sitting perfectly still ready to spring into action.

I thought back to yesterday when he'd attacked me, practically vibrating from having controlled his emotions for so long, and then being unable to shut down the jealousy that crept in. I wondered if he was being short with the guys and if they'd understand and let it go, or if they'd gotten in his face and challenged him to do more to find me. I hoped Cal wasn't being an ass. I loved him, and appreciated his friendship, but he'd gotten into a bad habit of speaking his mind to Ranger and I hoped he would control it for a while.

I was still stretching my arms over my head when the door opened suddenly, catching me off guard so that I squealed in response.

I didn't recognize either of the faces in front of me, but the man behind them was definitely one I knew from the picture I saw on-line. "Mr. Castillo," I said, letting him know I knew who he was and I tried to hide the fact that seeing the evil in his eyes made me thankful I'd used that jar earlier.

"Miss Plum, I'm glad you're awake. I have to say I was surprised we didn't hear from you, so I had my associates double check that you were still alive. I see now that you were busy getting out of your restraints which shows your resiliency. I think I'm going to enjoy breaking you." Castillo's deep voice said.

I didn't want to rise to the bait, but I figured the longer I kept him talking the longer I had before he did something to hurt me. "What makes you think I can be broken?"

He laughed softly before responding, "Everyone can be broken; the challenge is to see what it takes to do it. You see, I already know there is no physical pain on earth that will break Mr. Manoso, but I believe seeing you endure the torture that should have been his will do the job nicely. Then all I have to do is sit back and wait for him to come after me. The rage will have him so blinded to his surroundings that eliminating him will be easy."

"Other people have said eliminating Ranger would be easy, but none of them are alive to testify to the ludicrous nature of that statement." I responded, trying to sound defiant.

He laughed once more, which began to irritate me. "I am sorry for what we are going to do to you. I like your spirit, and I believe had we met under different circumstances, I might have enjoyed getting to know you. As a favor, once you have served your usefulness and Mr. Manoso has been eliminated, I will personally see to it that you are terminated quickly to avoid any unnecessary suffering."

What did one say to that? 'Oh wow, thanks Mr. Bad guy with a gun. That is really something to look forward to.' Instead I went with, "Somehow I doubt that we would have hit it off. I've known for Ranger for several years and it has made me a much better judge of lesser men."

The snicker left his face, and even though I was glad to see it go, a nagging voice in the back of my head told me making him angry probably wasn't a good idea.

Mateo gave a command and the two guys that had opened the door rushed at me at once, each grabbing an arm thus making my new self defense techniques difficult to use. I figured since there were three of them, and they each appeared to have guns tucked in their waistbands, I shouldn't resist too much. Maybe if an opportunity to fight them came up later I could handle them one at the time if my skills were a surprise. Cal told me to fight dirty and that anything was appropriate if I was defending my life. My mind began to race with some of the dirty tricks I'd like to surprise these guys with.

I allowed the two goons to lead me to another room. We were in a small house but there were curtains drawn over all the windows so I had no way of knowing where the house was located. I thought I could see some light coming in around the windows and since my stomach wasn't growling yet I figured we hadn't been here too long. It must be just a few hours since they got me. I just needed to keep them distracted.

"So how, exactly, are you planning on using my torture to break Ranger?" I asked walking slower down the narrow hall.

No one answered, but when they opened the door to what I assumed was the master bedroom I figured it out on my own. The only furniture in the room was a twin bed with clean white sheets and an iron headboard with slats, a little table that had a cloth covering something, and a complicated looking camera with cables running to a series of laptops. I knew from Hector someone could create a server loop with multiple computers which would make tracing the signal much harder. Still, if he was smart he could only send blasts of less than two minutes or Hector would be able to figure out where we were. At least what ever they were going to do wouldn't last that long each time.

Apparently the plan was to chain me to that bed, torture me with the tools under that cover, and send the footage they were recording to Ranger. I needed to stay tough and in control. I needed to find a way to let them know that I was in a house in order to help them find me. I knew that any clue would be helpful and I was going to stay focused on being a part of my own rescue.

Just as I suspected, the goons pulled out new handcuffs and spread my arms to attach them to opposite sides of the bed. My feet were left alone for now. I wasn't sure if that was good news or not but I was choosing to believe it was a good thing.

Castillo was looking at the camera, sizing up the image I made on the clean sheets. "Now Miss Plum, we can do this easily, or not. The choice is entirely yours. I need Mr. Manoso to believe you are in intense pain. So if you give me what I need, we will stop hurting you. But if you decide to play tough then we will continue to increase the pressure until I get the results I am after."

While I was thinking over his words he looked at the man to my right and said, "Begin,"

The towel was pulled back from the table and I saw a tray with an assortment of objects. Some of them were easy to identify and others confused me completely. I guess if I tried to stay strong I would eventually get to see what they all did. Ironically, my usual sense of curiosity was completely gone at the minute.


	22. A Few Seconds

_All the usual…the characters are JE's._

_Fredda (Rangergirl1234) thanks once again for your speedy work as the beta on this story. Your gentle suggestions mean so much to the story and to me._

**Chapter 22 – A Few Seconds**

_Ranger's POV_

"Boss man, you need to come see this," came Vince's voice from behind one of the computers in the control room.

I stood up and looked at the screen. I had two e-mail accounts at RangeMan. One was private, the address was complicated which prevented outside sources from getting to it. The other was my name at the RangeMan domain and it was connected to the website and on my business cards. That is where most people from the outside sent things. Because it was so full of cold-call sales contacts and people looking for donations, I didn't even look at it. It was one of the jobs of the person at the front desk to sort through the messages and forward only those that I really needed to see.

It was our policy since Julie was kidnapped that this account also needed to be monitored closely during a crisis because anybody trying to get a message to me for some reason would probably use this address. I saw Vince was looking at that account and had an e-mail highlighted with a subject line "_How do you like it?"_

When Vince opened it, a return receipt was requested so the sender would know I'd opened his e-mail. I nodded telling him to say okay in order to see what the e-mail contained. There was an attachment which was a video file.

Hector took Vince's place, and after shifting a few cables the projector displayed it on the wall for us all to see. The text of the e-mail said, "_Try to find us. I'll send you another message every hour but you will get no clues about where we are until I decide you've had enough. Let's hope she lasts that long. -MC_"

I tightened my fist until the pain in my knuckles broke through the furry I was feeling. The guys were looking at me to respond before they moved on to the attached video. There was no point in putting it off. We needed to see what was on that footage and I needed to keep it together long enough to get some information that would allow me to bring my Babe back home.

The quality was surprisingly good and I saw my beautiful Stephanie chained to an iron headboard lying on white sheets. I glanced at my watch and noted they'd had her approximately five hours. Her eyes were wide open but her lips were pressed together. She was fighting not to give them what they wanted and I was so proud of her.

Her attention was not at the camera but to her right. I heard the voice of Castillo off camera say, "Begin," and then a man entered the view next to Stephanie. She said nothing but kept her gaze on him. He immediately backhanded her, but she didn't give him the satisfaction of making a sound as her head jerked to the side from the force of the blow. The conference room was not as quiet as she was; there were a few intakes of breath and the unmistakable sound of a pencil breaking.

She looked back at her assailant and lifted her chin as though challenging him to do something else. The man reached off camera and then returned to the screen and Stephanie's eyes got bigger. He grabbed her shirt and cut it off, ripping the shreds away from her body, leaving her there with only a thin lacy black bra. Next, he grabbed her arm and ran a small blade down the tender skin on the inside from her armpit to her elbow. The red blood dripped out and began staining the white sheet under her.

I saw her cheek draw in and knew she was biting down on it to keep from making a sound. The next object that entered the video grabbed my attention, as I had seen it many times in my military career. In fact, I had scars on my thigh from just such a device. It was a heat rod, a lot like a curling iron, only much hotter. You could cauterize a wound with it to stop the bleeding, but you would be burning the flesh that it came in contact with as well.

Cal talked to the screen, "Come on Angel. Make a sound so he'll know he's getting to you and stop." There was an edge of pleading to his voice, and I completely understood what he meant.

Her head turned away when the rod ran down the cut that had just been made and a fine layer of sweat was beginning to show as some of her curls stuck to her face. Her legs drew up as well, instinctively making her body a smaller target.

Castillo's voice came on again, although he didn't show himself. He instructed the man to stop and the guy exited the screen. Stephanie's eyes were moving between the places where the man had disappeared and where it sounded like Mateo was standing. "As you can see she is quite spirited and seems to think by resisting she is protecting you. We will spend the next hour working on breaking some of that fire in her so that our next contact will give you more of a show."

When the screen went blank no one said a word. I was torn between wanting to beat the shit out of someone and a strange feeling of pride that she was trying to be strong. I needed to match her effort and find a way to get to her.

"Hang on, Babe, I'm going to find you," I promised under my breath. I heard some of the guys agreeing, "That's right Little Girl", "We're coming Angel", "That's it Bomber" and "Hang tough Beautiful", which told me I was talking a lot louder than I thought. Apparently her influence on me was further reaching than I imagined.

I allowed the silence to stretch for thirty seconds, giving everyone a chance to rein in their emotions before turning to Hector and saying, "Bring up the beginning again and freeze it at the opening picture of Stephanie."

He did as I asked and then I said, "What can we tell about her location?"

"She's not in a hotel," Vince began. "There is a small window behind the bed and one to the right."

He was right, hotels weren't typically set up with two windows in a bedroom. It wasn't much to go off of, but at this point any detail, no matter how small, was worth following up on. We already knew the van they used to capture her had no plates. Ram and Woody found it abandoned in a shopping center parking lot, which told me they'd switched vehicles along the way. But we had no idea what they used next as the parking lot had no cameras and the guys had been unable to find any witnesses.

Cal stood up and walked to the picture on the screen. He pointed at Steph's hip and then asked, "Can you make this part bigger?"

Hector highlighted a section of Steph's body from her navel down to her legs and made that portion fill the screen.

Cal nearly smiled, "I'll be damned."

"Is there a reason you're staring at her crotch?" Lester asked impatiently.

"There's a bulge," Cal tried explaining, pointing to the watch pocket behind her main right pocket.

Finally I understood what he meant. It wasn't much, but it was all we had to wish for right now. At this point I was open for any hope no matter how small.

_Stephanie's POV_

The camera clicked off and I smiled, thinking I had survived the first test. I was so glad he was keeping the transmissions short because I wasn't sure how much more I could handle.

I should have known my life was never that simple and my trouble wasn't over so quickly. Castillo came over and said, "I told you, Miss Plum, that there was an easy way and since you chose to be so stubborn, it appears you have elected to ignore that option. We will have to do things differently now before your next show."

I wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean, but I knew it wasn't good. Mateo then turned to my captors and instructed them, "You have half an hour to work her over. When we send our next transmission she needs to look like she's been through hell." Then he walked out of the room.

The man that had hurt me turned to face me with a smile, and I knew I was in trouble. But the other man stepped forward and began talking. "What are you going to do?"

"What do you think I'm going to do, Marco? I'm going to beat the shit out of her- really working on her face. And then I'm going to carve some lines on her body so that she's bloody and bruised." The second goon said.

"Can't we do it so that we don't hurt her so much?" Marco asked. "I mean, we were only supposed to kidnap her. He didn't say anything about torturing her."

"You are entirely too much of a pansy for this kind of work." The second goon replied. "I'm going to get something to drink. Why don't you keep an eye on her, and then we'll figure out what to do when I get back."

When he left the room the guy called Marco started talking. "Listen lady, I didn't know this was going to happen. I thought he was just going to ask for money and then let you go."

I don't know why but I felt sorry for him and said, "It's alright. I know there are things that you need to do in order to keep Castillo from punishing you. You might as well get them over with."

He was looking at me thoughtfully and then said, "I think if I give you a black eye, and then a few knife wounds, it will give us enough blood to smear around and make it look like you're covered with injuries."

About that time the second goon came in and Marco announced, "She needs a black eye and maybe a busted lip. Before I could steady myself for it the second goon pulled back and with three well placed blows, my face felt like it was on fire. The way my eye felt made me feel sorry for Joe. Briefly, I wondered how the guy had done it without breaking his hand. But when Marco picked up a knife after talking to the other goon, my attention came back to the present.

Marco instructed me, "Just stay still and this will be over soon." He bit his bottom lip as though he were nervous, and I felt the need to reassure him.

"Just do it and let's get it over with." I told him.

As soon as the words left my mouth he lifted the knife and stabbed me in the shoulder. I made a groaning sound and then watched as he squeezed the skin around the hole in my flesh, making the blood pour out. It hurt like crazy, but I understood what he was doing when he started to smear the blood on my stomach and face. Then he went to the bathroom and came back with something dark on his hands.

"Do I want to know what that is?" I asked, a little nervous about what was coming up next.

Marco smiled a little and replied, "There was a plant in the bathroom. This is dirt from the pot. I think if I mix it in with the blood around your stomach and ribs, it will look like bruises." I nodded as he painted my body, making mud out of the dirt and my blood. It was gross, but I certainly appreciated his creativity instead of having him beat the fire out of me.

He left once more to wash his hands and then came back to squeeze my shoulder once more, getting a little blood on his knuckles. "I can't promise this will work, but it might buy you a little time at least." He confessed.

"If Castillo says anything, it's your ass that's on the line," The second good said.

Before he could respond, Mateo returned and looked at me quickly before smiling and saying, "Very nice."

He sat down at the first laptop and began typing away while explaining, "I've decided to change my presentation this time and have Mr. Manoso join us for a live chat on-line. I've also decided that just watching us hurt you like this might not be enough. We are going to have to change our approach."

Silence filled the room as I refused to ask what he meant. He smiled and stood up, pushing a few more buttons before pushing a button on the camera and saying, "Nice of you to join us Mr. Manoso. We have quite a show for you."

Then he looked at me and said, "Now Miss Plum, if you would be so kind as to allow my assistant to help you, we need to change your position so that our show will be more effective."

I began to panic. I didn't understand why I needed to be moved. I tried very hard to control my reaction as the goon approached me. I looked to Marco briefly, and he had turned away, which only further caused me worry. Whatever was coming wasn't going to be good.

_Ranger's POV_

When Vince got another e-mail from Mateo all talking stopped. We'd been trying every angle to find where Steph was being held and were coming up with nothing more to go on, other than we believed she was north of town and in a house. As much as I didn't want to see Stephanie suffer, I knew we needed more information and this communication was the only opportunity we would have for that.

I agreed when Vince explained he wanted me to login for a live video feed. This would increase our chances of being able to track the location of the address, but if he was sending it live I had a feeling of dread that it meant he was getting more aggressive to try and speed up a reaction from me.

As soon as the camera came on, the mood in the room froze. She looked terrible. Her eye was nearly swollen shut, and her lip had been cut and was bleeding. But the worst part was her torso. Her silky white skin was gone and in its place was a bruised bloody mess. I couldn't begin to imagine how badly they had beaten her to get her in that condition so quickly.

My ears were ringing and I felt the need to take a few deep breaths to keep from getting lightheaded. When Mateo said he wanted to change her position to make their show more impressive, Steph's face switched to an expression of panic. She was still trying to control it, but she wasn't as successful as she had been an hour ago. Apparently their work on her was beginning to break down her mental strength as well.

Mateo spoke to his henchmen, instructing them, "Stand her up and restrain her against the wall while Marco brings the longer restraints so that we can get her position just right for the camera and our next action sequence."

Powerless to stop it, we all watched as the man that had hurt her in the earlier video uncuffed her and then roughly stood her up. Amazingly, she didn't even wince from the pain she had to be in from the bruises on her stomach and ribs. Maybe she was getting a boost of adrenaline from the shift in position that would keep her strong for whatever was about to happen.

The feeling in the room was one of horror. It's like we all escaped inside ourselves, remembering a time when we had been in a similar situations and the toil it took on us. This was something we didn't want to see happen to her. The spark in her spirit was a part of who we loved, and seeing that diminished because of this type of evil would be a blow to all of us.

The thug pulled her against the wall and she didn't struggle, which told me at the very least Mateo was armed. But when the guy put his arm around her neck trying to keep her subdued something in her eyes changed. It's like she remembered something important and then they hardened as her determination set in. Before the guy Castillo called Marco could finish setting up the bed, Steph began to move.

In perfect form she easily broke out of the choke hold causing someone to my right to bang on the table in appreciation for her effort. She used her newly freed arms to elbow the guy in the stomach which caught him off guard enabling her to spin around and raise her knee hard into his balls. He hit the floor like he'd been shot.

Mateo laughed as though he were enjoying a comedy show before saying, "Why are you hurting my men, Miss Plum? You know you can't get away."

Her response caught most of us off guard. "Sometimes you don't need to get away; you just need a few seconds." Then she put both her hands in her pockets and began to smile before stumbling to the floor.

Cal stood up quickly, knocking his chair over in the process. "She's hit her panic button! I knew there was something in her pocket. I told her when we were working on self defense that at first we only needed to learn how to create enough of a distraction that she could get away for a few seconds in order to activate her button so that we could get to her."

No sooner had he finished explaining his outburst than Hector announced, "I've got her signal." Most of us looked down at our cell phones and pulled them up to see a live map with her exact location pinpointed.

I pointed at Hector, Vince, Junior and Bones. "Stay here and monitor that signal and the rest of the transmission. Patch the sound into our com units until we are there and then clear the line so that we can attack in unison."

Hector understood my instructions and even though I could see he was disappointed to not join us in the field he agreed to stay behind.

The rest of us ran down to the garage and began loading into vehicles. As we speed to the blinking dot from her newly activated tracker, I continued to pray that her strength to resist would hold out until we got there.

_Stephanie's POV_

I couldn't believe I had forgotten about the panic button. I was always opposed to these things so even though I'd tucked it in my pocket this morning while Carlos was watching me get dressed, it hadn't crossed my mind that when they patted me down they hadn't discovered it.

When he wrapped his arm around my neck, I had begun to panic until Cal's words began to sound in my head and I followed his instructions just like I had with Binkie and Junior in the gym, minus grinding my ass against him of course. I was free immediately and once my knee came in contact with his family jewels, I knew he'd be down long enough to hit the button. Spinning around had produced a fresh wave of dizziness but I refused to give into it.

I couldn't help but smile when I felt the switch engage and I trusted that somewhere at RangeMan a lot of big guys were arming themselves to rescue me. At least I had to believe that was what was happening. Of course the vertigo proved more than I could fight and I stumbled to the floor but I still had that smile on my face.

Mateo yelled for Marco to restrain me and he pulled my hands behind me. I just couldn't bring myself to hit him between the legs like I had done to his partner. As much as he was to blame for me being here, he had tried to make the situation easier on me.

I was turned over and chained face down by my wrists, then Mateo himself came in with a large round pillow. It looked like one of those little neck pillows that most people used as a decorative touch in their bedrooms, but this one was five times the usual size. When he instructed Marco to pull me to the end of the bed and put it under my hips, I began to understand what he was doing.

The man on the floor eventually came to his senses and stood up, more than eager to help restrain me in any way. Mateo instructed him and he slipped bands around my knees and then tied them to the headboard to keep them bent. Finally, he added restraints to my ankles that were attached to the foot of the bed to keep my legs completely immobile from the duel directions of tension.

With my hips raised, and no ability to move my hands or legs, I was helpless to fight off any kind of attack he had in mind. I knew the only reason he would put me in this position was to sexually assault me, and I wondered if I could survive that. Did I have the strength to endure that and then move on with my life as though I were the same person?

Once he was satisfied with how I was positioned Mateo instructed, "Cut off her pants."

I swallowed hard that my suspicions were right about what they were going to do. I'd never felt this out of control before. I was fully aware of everything they were doing, and yet I had no ability to move even inches to try and protect myself from what was coming.

Marco came over with a large knife and an apologetic look. "Be still," he whispered. I obeyed, not that I really had a choice.

My pants were slowly cut away leaving me exposed in just my black bra and now the matching thong I'd put on that morning to tease Ranger. Had I suspected anyone else might be allowed to see it, I would have chosen differently.

Mateo then spoke once more. "So, Mr. Manoso, we have your prize here just the way we want her and I believe I will allow my men to have some fun with her. I will contact you when they are done so that you can see her condition then. And if she still has enough fire in her to interest me, I might allow you to watch as I enjoy breaking whatever is left of her spirit."

I heard him typing and then he stood up and left the room without another word. Marco was the first to speak, "What the hell is this?"

The other goon replied, "I think it's a bonus for all the good work we've done." Then he reached out and rubbed a finger on my ass. I was repulsed by the idea of him touching me and felt the bile rising up in my throat, indicating if he did anything more I was probably going to throw up.

Marco spoke up, "Man, I'll go first since you probably still need a little time to get yourself pulled together from what she did to you."

The other goon seemed to appreciate that and leaned against the wall intending to watch. Marco put his hand on my back but it was more of a protective gesture than a sexual one. "I can't do this with you watching man; I'm not a perve like you."

The other guy chuckled out, "Whatever," and walked out, shutting the door behind him.

I tried to twist my head around to see Marco, but I didn't have enough room to move. "What are you going to do?" I finally asked.

"I don't know," He admitted nervously. "If I don't do anything he might kill me too, but I didn't want to let him have you either. I just need a minute to think about it."

"Pull down your pants," I told him.

"What?" He asked totally confused.

"If someone comes in and you are just standing there like that, they will know you haven't done anything. Then they'll hurt us both." I explained. "Pull down your pants and stand behind me like you're taking advantage of the situation."

He didn't move so I decided to throw in something else. "People are looking for me now and they will be here soon. If you can keep him from killing me just a little longer, I think this nightmare might be over for both of us."

I heard him fumbling with his belt and then he said, "I think I should take off your panties too. No one would believe that I'd done anything if you're still in your underwear."

I don't know why but I practically yelled, "No!" when he suggested it. "There is no reason for you to do that, you can just slide them to the side," I softened my original reaction slightly.

I was scared. I'd never been in this kind of trouble before where I knew being sexually assaulted was only the beginning of what someone wanted to do to me. I swore to myself that if I got out of this alive, I was going to take my training more seriously and learn more than just one maneuver. I was going to be a fighting machine so that no one could ever have enough control over me to put me in this position ever again. Castillo had no idea what he'd set lose in me.

_Ranger's POV_

We arrived at the street and found the house where Mateo was holding Stephanie. I'd heard her conversation with a guy named Marco who I assumed was one of the kidnappers. He was apparently showing her kindness and trying to protect her in the limited ways available to him. I decided to kill him quickly to return the favor. He would be the only one there who wouldn't suffer for what they'd done to her.

The guys all got out and we gathered at the hood of my SUV. I looked at the men around me and knew we could handle this easily, but wondered if that would satisfy the animal in me that wanted to hurt Castillo. I began to hand out assignments, making up the plan as I went along.

"Cal, you and Binkie are to enter and go straight to Stephanie. She should be at the rear of the house so you will go in through the back door. Unchain her, wrap her in something, and get her the hell out of that house to the trucks and get her safely locked in with you." I knew that Steph trusted Cal, and I figured they were both safe to see her in her current state without it affecting them like it might some of the other guys.

"Bobby, you are to cover Cal and Binkie, and when she is safely out you are to check her over while Binkie monitors the vehicle to insure no one gets in until this is over.

The men nodded their understanding so I looked to Tank and said, "You and Lester are with me. We are going to leave Steph's rescue to the others and our goal is to kill the bastards that hurt her. If you can figure out who Marco is you can take him out clean, but the other two can suffer first for the pain they've inflicted on her." Silence was the only reply I received and I took that as acceptance so I gave the signal and we silently made our way the 100 yards to the house where Steph was being held.

Before we split up I said, "Wait for my signal and we'll enter together on three."

Cal nodded, taking the lead for his group entering from the back of the house and then we split and approached the target.

I could feel her as soon as I was near the front door. She was here and she was still fighting. I shut out everything else and allowed the primal need within to escape. I couldn't see Stephanie until this was over. She couldn't see this side of me, but I needed to finish this off to insure her safety. Cal would get her out of there and then I would handle Mateo. Once I'd had a chance to pull myself back under control I could check on her, but right now I wasn't in any condition for her to see me.

"On my mark," I whispered before counting, "One, two, three."

As soon as the word came out of my mouth, Tank's boot hit the door and it splintered and banged open on the foyer's wall. We rushed in with the sound of Cal and Binkie meeting resistance from someone as soon as their door opened. I smiled thinking Mateo would no doubt rush to the back of the house, leaving his back exposed to our entry.

I heard a single gunshot and knew from the volume that it came from one of our guys and hoped it hadn't killed whoever it hit. We cleared the den with efficient, well practiced movements and then went down a narrow hall. I saw movement go in a room opposite where I believed Steph was and followed it with Tank and Les on my heels. When I pushed the door open I wasn't surprised to see Mateo holding a gun going to the window to escape. I didn't wait for him to turn to face me and fired off a shot hitting the hand holding his weapon leaving him defenseless.

Just as I was about to teach him a lesson, I heard a blood curdling sound coming from the room across the hall. Stephanie was screaming, "No!" then she followed it up calling for me, "Ranger!" Not getting a response she changed her approach and yelled, "Carlos!" That single word from her lips stopped the burning need for vengeance driving me. My desire to protect her from whatever had caused her to panic was greater than any other need at the moment.

I froze in my tracks and turned to Lester, "Your turn, but don't kill him."

A sneer came over my cousin's face as he began to stalk Castillo with Tank at the door as back up.

I holstered my gun, knowing the room with Steph already had Cal, Binkie and Bobby in it. There was no way the two henchmen had overcome my team, especially since one of them had no doubt been hit by a shot upon the team's entry.

When I opened the door Stephanie was standing there in only her underwear, defending one of the guys with her body, while the other one lay on the floor bleeding from his shoulder with his wrists cuffed in front of him.

"Babe?" I asked, walking slowly toward her with my hands up to show that I wasn't a threat. I wondered if the stress of the abuse she'd suffered had snapped something in her and she thought my guys were going to hurt her.

"Him," she said pointing to the guy on the floor. "Him you can do anything you want to." She was beginning to shake, but was struggling to be sure her next point was understood. "But Marco, you cannot kill."

I took a deep breath, worried that her impression of me would be forever changed since she understood it was my intention to leave no witnesses to today's events. "Babe," I said again in a soft voice, realizing it didn't matter what she thought of me right now. All that was important was that she was safe which meant I needed to get her out of this house so that I could finish what I started with Castillo.

"Carlos," She said in a softer voice, drawing my full attention back to her as I moved even closer. "You can't kill him. He showed me mercy, and you have to do the same thing for him." I knew before I spoke a single word that I would comply with her wishes.

"What do you want us to do with him?" I asked, trying to point out there had to be a consequence to his actions.

"When you're done, Marco will be the witness you need for the police. He'll end up going to jail, but it will keep you safe from charges and it will keep him alive." She said, providing me with a viable plan. We had the video footage of what happened to Steph; that would be enough for the Trenton cops to look the other way. But with two dead bodies, it would be helpful to have a third party that wasn't injured to back-up what happened.

"You'll give the cops an honest version of what happened here?" I asked him from his place behind the woman I loved.

He nodded, "I didn't know this was going to happen. That man is crazy and after we got her he flipped and started talking about making you pay and then killing you for what you had taken from him. I didn't know and I tried to keep her safe."

I looked at her body and saw the bruises in person and I ached to take away the pain she must be in. Stephanie saw my gaze and then quickly explained, "I'm not hurt. At least not how you think. Marco refused to hit me when Mateo said he had to, so most of this is dirt that he mixed with a little blood from a single cut to my shoulder. It will need some attention, but the rest is just for show."

Then she looked at the guy tied up groaning on the floor, "But he did this to my face, and he was the one that cut my arm and then burned it." Obviously she didn't feel the need to protect her other kidnapper. I was close enough to her that she touched my arm and the heat from fingers on my skin almost burned. Her voice was much quieter when she next spoke, "You have some work to do to clean up here." It was a statement, not a question. She knew full well what I was going to do, and it didn't seem to phase her one bit.

Binkie stood the other guy up and he screamed that he would get his revenge, "You have no idea who you're dealing with. I'll find you and my boys and me will take you out."

My focus was back, and I got in his face, "You'll shut your mouth. When we're done with you, your boys won't recognize what they put in your coffin."

Turning back to Cal I reminded him, "Get her to the truck." He nodded, apparently in complete agreement that she didn't need to hear what was going to happen next. Binkie had a hand on the tough guy who was glaring at Stephanie.

Cal put his jacket on her and it fell to her hips, allowing her a little modesty when he zipped it up. "Come on Angel," he said putting his hand on her shoulder and walking her in front of him and past us to get to the door. Just as they passed by she stumbled. I don't know if it was a wave of dizziness or exhaustion for what she had been through, but in that split second of confusion Marco yelled, "No!" and the punk in Binkie's grip managed to lift his leg enough to kick Steph hard, away from the place Cal was standing.

She fell backward, unable to stop the force he'd exerted, and the metal frame of the bed behind her broke her fall. I heard the sound of a fist hitting flesh and assumed Binkie had just struck the punk's back at the kidney. If he wasn't used to taking punches, such a blow would keep him in pain long enough for us to get her out safely and then I could show him what I thought about his little stunt.

Bobby was at Steph's side and I realized I needed to finish my work here so that I could focus on her. I had planned on spending a considerable amount of time making Castillo suffer but suddenly the revenge portion of my plan didn't matter. I needed Steph safe and I needed to be by her side. Apart from that, nothing else was important.

"Go Ranger," Bobby told me. "We've got this."

She wasn't moving, but I trusted Bobby that if something were seriously wrong he would tell me, so I turned and set my mind on what needed to be done.


	23. Coming Back

_Thanks Janet, for giving us such wonderful characters to have fun with. The money may be yours, but the fun is all mine._

_Fredda (Rangergirl1234) I really appreciate you reviewing this chapter as the beta. Your careful eyes are such a gift._

**Chapter 23 – Coming Back**

_Ranger's POV_

I knew Stephanie was in good hands and as much as I wanted to hold her in my arms and take her away from this nightmare I needed to be sure she was kept safe by finishing the job I came here to do.

I nodded for Binkie to follow me into the room across the hall and he drug the trash with him as he was still complaining that we were messing with the wrong man. Binkie tossed him against the wall near Castillo, insuring the punk hit his head on the way down. He was the one who had handled Stephanie roughly and Binkie obviously had no problem returning the favor. I told him to go back across the hall and guard Marco.

I looked over at Lester and his face was still set in stone. He'd stepped away from Mateo and I saw Castillo's face was bleeding from multiple cuts. Either my cousin had taken to wearing rings, or he had hit his face repeatedly with such force the skin was tearing open. I knew it was the later option. Most people recognized Lester as a jokester, a fun loving womanizer, but beneath that exterior lurked a beast every bit as lethal as the one that resided in me.

I wanted to rip Castillo apart for trying to take my heart away from me. "You made a mistake in trying to hurt my woman," I warned him. "I'll be sure to send a memento from you to your family so that they will understand you'll be staying in America permanently."

"You're wrong there," he dared to challenge me. "I'll not serve a single day in your American jail."

Now it was my turn to laugh. "I didn't mean you would be in prison, Mateo. I meant what's left of you would be staying in America, buried in a place that will never be found. Your family will never have the chance to offer you a burial by the church in consecrated ground. You can spend eternity in an unmarked grave**,**burning in hell for what you tried to do today."

His eyes got bigger when he understood what I meant. I had toyed with my prey long enough and the burning desire to hurt him was quickly dissipating as a more important longing to go to Stephanie was taking over. I nodded to Tank and Les to leave and told them to get Binkie and Marco and meet me outside.

I finished what I came to do and left with no remorse. I was relieved to know I had protected the thing I held most dear. When I got outside I looked at Tank and told him to call Trenton's finest and explain about Stephanie's kidnapping**, **and our recovery of her after a shootout**, **where two of the assailants were fatally wounded.

"Marco, I'm sorry, but your face appears in the video from Castillo, so there is nothing I can do to keep the police from questioning you. But I'm pretty sure Stephanie would want me to help you, so assuming your story to the police matches that of my men, I will do everything I can to keep your sentence as light as possible. I can't guarantee you won't go to jail, but I'll work with my contacts to make it as bearable as possible if it is necessary." I looked him in the eye to be sure he understood he needed to tell the police the same version of the story as what Tank and Lester did.

"Yes sir, I will," He replied nervously. "Thank you."

I paused and finally told him, "You took care of the thing that is most precious to me and I'll do what I can to honor that. It's what she would want me to do."

"She is an amazing woman," Marco added quietly.

Usually I resented comments like that, but I knew he had probably seen the same thing in Stephanie that we all were drawn to so I simply replied, "Kid, you have no idea."

Then I looked at Binkie and indicated he should come with me. As we approached the SUV I saw Cal standing alert at the front carefully keeping an eye over the vehicle.

"Report," I demanded when we were near enough to hear him.

"Bobby's trying to clean her up in the back. She's still unconscious, but her vitals are stable, and there isn't much bleeding where she hit her head from the fall. He's getting antsy about getting her to St. Francis to check for internal injuries though. Are we set here?" He asked glancing back to the house.

I nodded and knew he understood what I was saying. I had taken out the two men most involved. "Tank and Les will take care of things here; let's get Steph to St. Francis." I instructed before walking to the back to climb in on the side opposite Bobby.

Steph seemed so frail, but Bobby's efforts to clean her up, even with the limited moist wipes in the truck, had made a big difference in her appearance. It was always frightening to see her so still, but knowing she wasn't in the shape we had assumed from the video was a relief. I picked up her hand and kissed it before lowering it back to her side and telling her, "I'm here Babe, and I'm not going anywhere."

_Stephanie's POV_

Damn it! I could tell from the smell of antiseptic and the constant beeping behind my head that I was in the hospital. I wanted to know what was going on, but I had a bit of a headache so opening my eyes felt like more effort than what I wanted to expend at the moment. Instead, I tried to figure out what I could sense from my position. One hand felt heavy like it was in a cast. Since it was already a little itchy I had to assume that meant it had been plastered for a while already. I wondered how long I'd been out.

The other hand felt warm and I could feel someone's fingers intertwined with my own. Carlos was here. I knew it had to be him and in my excitement to see him again I quickly opened my eyes. Unfortunately the bright light in the room hurt like hell so they shut tight on their own.

"Babe?" Carlos' worried voice said. "Hang on, I'll get the lights."

He let go of my hand and walked away. I wanted to tell him how much I didn't appreciate him walking away but when I opened my mouth to speak, a croaking sound was all I could manage. I realized my throat was dry and sore. I had so many questions and no way to ask them.

Fortunately, he picked up my hand again and brought it up to his lips to place a series of soft kisses across my knuckles. "It's not so bright now if you want to try opening your eyes again." He encouraged me.

Honestly, I had no desire to open my eyes again. But the worry in his voice told me I needed to do this for him. So against my better judgment I slowly opened my eyes and blinked them to help focus a little better. I turned my head to see the man beside me and saw the exhaustion and the concern in his beautiful brown eyes.

A small smile broke out across my lips and I was pleased to see a full-on smile appear on his face in return. "You're back," he stated as fact, with his voice providing evidence of the relief he felt.

I tried once more to speak, but my mouth and throat wouldn't cooperate. I was thirsty and thought a little water would help. I had no sooner thought about it when Carlos picked up the Styrofoam cup beside my bed and stuck a clean straw in it to place in my chapped lips. I took a long draw and he reminded me to take small sips at first. I tried to remember, but the water was so good I couldn't believe I ever considered Coke a superior beverage to this.

I assume he felt like I'd had enough because he pulled the cup away and then moved closer to the side of the bed. I was determined to talk and the water felt like it had coated my throat enough to work. "You're exhausted," I finally managed to say.

He smiled at me and nodded, "I can sleep later, but I wasn't going to leave until I knew you were okay."

"How long?" I asked hoping he understood I was asking how long I'd been out.

He looked down briefly and then responded, "Seventy hours."

Dividing that by twenty-four to see how many days it was seemed like more than my brain could handle. But it seemed like way too long for what I remembered happening.

"What happened?" I asked, squeezing his hand to reassure myself he was really beside me. He withdrew a little into himself and I waited, knowing he would open up once he got a handle on whatever emotion my question triggered.

_Ranger's POV_

"What happened?" She asked, and then she looked at me patiently waiting for a response that I was unsure I wanted to give. I didn't know how much I wanted to tell her, how much I could admit to her.

"What do you remember?" I knew turning the question back on her was a coward's response, but I needed to know if she had any memories of her evening rescue.

Her eyes closed but the furrows on her brow told me she was thinking, not sleeping, so it was my turn to patiently wait.

"I remember being tied up. Mateo was going to let that man rape me." She said softly with a small tear running down her cheek. I reached up to brush it away and she turned her face to lean into my hand.

"I remember a gun shot and then Cal coming in and getting me loose. Binkie cuffed the man that had hurt me and then he raised his gun at Marco." Her mention of Marco caused more tears to escape onto my hand.

"Bobby was trying to get me to lie still, but I had to protect him, so I jumped up and screamed for them to stop. They wanted me to move so I called for you." Her eyes popped open and the intense shade of blue captured me as she said softer, "I knew you were there."

"I'll always come for you," I promised us both.

She picked up her story once more. "I was dizzy but I was determined to protect him after everything he did for me. You came in and I held your arm and begged you to show mercy." Her eyes closed once more and I instantly missed seeing them. "Then Cal put his jacket on me and when we passed by the jerk at the door he kicked me and…" She was struggling to remember anything else.

Her eyes opened again. "I'm not sure about what happened then. I think I remember Bobby crying and saying something about how this was all his fault for not doing his job while he was trying to clean my stomach. Then you were there holding my hand and promising that you wouldn't go anywhere. I think I remember having a horrible headache and then I woke up."

Her memories after the punk kicked her were patchy at best. That fit with the concussion from the blow of the bed frame to her head when she fell. I was about to tell her about her injuries when she directly asked the question I had hoped to avoid answering. "Did you kill Castillo?"

Shit! I had killed for her before and I knew she suspected it. But suspecting something and having it confirmed in black and white were two different things. I couldn't lie to her, but a piece of me was worried that when she knew the truth she would look at me differently. Finally I decided I had to trust her to understand why it was necessary, so I looked her in the eye to gauge her reaction and admitted, "Yes, I killed Castillo, and the other man that hurt you."

Her eyes shut denying me the access to her emotions I desperately needed at this moment. Fearing that she was beginning to shut me out I sat up a little straighter trying to prepare for the blow.

When her eyes reopened they were swimming in moisture and my chest ached to take away her pain. She spoke before I could ask what to do. "Thank you Carlos. Thank you for protecting me and for taking out the men that wanted to kill me." Her good hand rose and touched the side of my face in a gentle and reassuring way.

I lowered my head to her side and softly rested my forehead against her stomach. She was absolving me of the horrible thing I had done by understanding it was completely necessary. As long as he lived, we would not be safe. The contact with her did more than any time I'd spent in a church confessional to remove the heaviness that came with taking someone else's life. Her hand began to run through my hair and I was surprised at how my body instinctually reacted to her attention. I picked up my head, trying to break the trance I had fallen into before I did something to embarrass myself.

"Marco?" She asked a little nervously.

"He's awaiting trail for his role in the kidnapping, but because of his information about Castillo, and the testimony and recommendation of RangeMan, I believe he might receive a suspended sentence for time served and then probation. It was pretty obvious to everyone involved that he got into something way over his head and then tried to do what he could to prevent it from becoming much worse. I think the time he spent with you was more effective to rehabilitate his attempt at a life in crime than what time served in jail could do."

"What's the delay in his trial?" She asked. Before I could answer they hoped to have a complete file to present to the judge, the door to her room swung open and Joe Morelli strutted in.

Her hand gripped my arm tightly enough that her nails were digging into my skin. I'd gladly bear any pain for her, but things with Morelli had been different over the last twenty-four hours so I didn't want her worry about this becoming a horrible altercation. "Babe, Joe needs to get your official statement in order for Marco's trial to move forward."

I put my hand on top of hers, hoping she would understand I was there to support her and because I liked setting the boundaries clearly in front of Morelli. I might have poached when Stephanie was his, but I needed him to understand that kind of thing would never be tolerated now that she was mine.

"How are you feeling?" He asked softly, respectful of the headache the doctor had warned she'd probably have for a few days.

"Weak, but I think I'll live," She responded bluntly. Apparently she clearly remembered her last run in with Morelli.

He grabbed a chair and moved it over to the side of the bed to sit down. Morelli flipped open the folder in front of him and looked at the report he had already typed up based on what we had told him had occurred. All Steph needed to do was sign it and her statement could be complete. Just before he started to read it to her he sat up and said, "I'm so sorry Stephanie. I haven't handled things well, and after watching everything that's happened the last three days, I know how wrong I've been."

Stephanie looked confused, obviously not expecting him to say that. It took a few seconds before she responded, "What?"

He smiled a little at her confusion and then told her, "When the guys called the station and reported your kidnapping and assault, I sped to the address prepared to arrest all the people at the scene that worked for Manoso. I was furious at him for encouraging you and for taking you away from the future I had pictured for us."

I had to say I was impressed with his candor. It took a lot of guts to get that close to Stephanie while telling her something she probably wasn't going to like hearing. "But when I got there, most everyone was gone. Two of the suspects were dead and there was a third in custody who sang like a canary; basically proving no one from RangeMan had committed a crime. I helped the guys clean up the scene and then came here to see you."

I remembered what happened next and wondered how much of it he would tell her. "I called your parents on the way to the hospital to let them know he had gotten you hurt again and then went straight to the ER. When I finally made my way through the sea of men in black in the waiting room I got to Manoso and accused him of practically killing you by allowing you to get into these situations and not forcing you to stay home where it was safe."

I smiled thinking of what happened next. "But before he could defend himself your mother entered the room and told me she'd heard enough from me. Then she proceeded to explain why no one will ever succeed in forcing you to stay home; because nothing in safety appeals to you. She basically told me to leave you alone because I was only ruining a friendship that had served us both since childhood. And then she threatened me that if I kept on bothering you she'd call my mother and tell her what a scene I was making at the hospital and what an embarrassment it was."

I looked down to keep Morelli from seeing just how happy that memory made me. Not only had Morelli basically run from the ER with his tale between his legs, but Helen had publically admitted that I was good for her daughter and that Steph was going to do whatever she wanted, and that was fine by her.

"I sped home, poured a few drinks into myself to calm down, and then realized everything your mother said was true. I wasn't interested in you chasing your dreams; I just wanted you to be home so that as I achieved mine you could celebrate with me. I can see why you'd want to be with Manoso and why it works for you two. So, I'm sorry for being a jerk."

Without missing a beat Steph replied, "Well, damn."

Now it was our turn to be confused. "What?" We both asked in unison.

"I was hoping it was my right hook that knocked some sense into you. But it appears my mother had to beat up the bully on the playground once again." She said with a teasing smile.

Then she looked down at the cast on her right hand and lifted it marginally. "You have a very hard head by the way."

Joe laughed at her joke and replied, "Hey, you get no pity from me. I had to put up with all kinds of shit from the guys at the station about being hit by a girl because of the shiner you put on my face."

I could see she had already forgiven him and I was glad to see how happy it made her to have Joe back in the appropriate place in her life. They had been friends for years and it would be a shame to lose that because his pride couldn't stand the fact that he couldn't control Stephanie and force her into the role she was never intended to play.

Fortunately, he took the momentary silence as his cue to take care of the reason he was here and he read the report he'd typed up for her. She had nothing to add. I was impressed at the details he'd included and I nodded my appreciation at how he'd basically done it for her to prevent her having to talk about what she'd been through once again.

He stood up to leave and promised to check on her later. She smiled in return and told him she'd like that. Then he looked at me and said, "Manoso."

I acknowledged his attempt at civility and decided to be the bigger man. "Thanks for doing that," I told him pointing to the folder with Stephanie's official statement.

He looked at me briefly but had no response before walking out of her room.

_Stephanie's POV_

"Wow, I didn't see that coming," I said as I stared at the door.

"Your mom did set him straight," Carlos replied, "I wish you had seen it."

"I'm sure you're right, but that's not what I meant. I was surprised he didn't try to one up you with a reply to your thanks." I confessed. I was proud of them both for being able to put away their alpha male competition and get along for my sake.

I had a sudden pounding in my head and shut my eyes tightly to help ease some of the pain. "Babe?" Carlos asked, not missing a single movement I made.

"My head still hurts and it feels better when I shut my eyes." I explained.

I could feel him move and in a few minutes a nurse walked in to see what we needed. I guess he'd pushed the call button for me. Carlos spoke and told her, "I think it's time for some pain medication. Steph is awake but her headache is getting worse."

"I'll check the orders Miss Plum and I'll be right back with some relief for you." She replied. I didn't know what she looked like, but I decided I liked her already. Not only was she offering me relief, but she seemed to be responding to me instead of drooling all over Carlos.

"Babe, the nurses don't drool on me." He said with a laugh.

"It's no fair listening in on people when they are accidently talking out loud." I tried to chastise him. Then I realized I didn't know why I had the headache in the first place. "What's wrong with me?" I asked hoping he'd give me the full scoop.

"There were a few things that had to be addressed when we got you to the hospital. You already knew about your hand. Dr. Wells came and did the surgery he discussed when this all started. The bones had moved more in the interim, so it was a bit more involved. But the end result is that you will have that cast for the next six weeks and then we'll see where things are." He explained.

"Okay, I'm glad that's done, but it doesn't explain why I've been out for so long." I pressed.

"When Castillo's man kicked you, you fell backward and hit your head on the metal bed frame. It knocked you out, and gave you a concussion. There was minimal internal swelling from the trauma, but the doctor kept you sedated for the first twenty-four hours anyway. After that they weaned you off the drugs but you weren't ready to wake up. The stab wound and other cuts on your face needed some stitches, but they were done smoothly, so all your injuries were addressed while you were out." He continued but his hand tightened around mine slightly before he continued.

"On the second day you started to run a fever. It spiked suddenly and got really high so the doctors figured you had in infection but all your wounds were clean and perfect. They reopened the cut on your arm that had been cauterized with the heat iron but it was in good shape too. Finally they did a CT scan looking for any sign of infection and all they could discover was a blockage in your inner ear."

I didn't remember my ear hurting so I was unsure what that was all about.

Fortunately he kept talking. "We told the doctor about you having a strange virus with a high fever just a week before. His best guess was that you had gotten some water in your ear from swimming or a shower, and then when your fever spiked at your apartment the ear canal swelled as they do when we're sick. It blocked the water in there, which was a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. As you got stronger the tubes would have gone back to their normal size but the infection had already taken hold. When you hit your head, it knocked some of it loose and allowed it to fester again. Because your body tends to spike a fever over anything like this, you were basically so sick because of an ear infection. Regular antibiotics weren't getting the results he wanted, so he went in surgically and put tubes in your ears like they do with young children to help the moisture drain. That, in combination with the antibiotics they've been pumping into you, seemed to finally win the battle and you began to improve."

"That's the most I've ever heard you say at once," I teased opening my eyes again to look at him. "But why does my head hurt?" I wondered.

"The concussion, the fever, and the blows you took from Castillo's thug all could be contributing, but you probably just need to rest some more. You're going to need to take things slow for a while." He told me picking up my good hand to hold it between his.

The nurse returned and I smiled when I saw she was in her early sixties, with white support hose, and sensible shoes. I knew I liked her. When she put a needle into my IV and promised the pain would be going away I decided that I loved her.

Ranger was chuckling as the nurse walked out. "Babe, should I be jealous? I had no idea you had a thing for sensible shoes."

Apparently I was talking out loud again. I could already feel things getting fuzzy and what I wanted to say couldn't wait, so I let his joke go and instead said, "I love you, Carlos."

"I love you too, Babe." He replied with all the laughter gone from his voice.

I wanted him to hold me but I wasn't sure he would go along with it. He must have seen the concentrated look on my face because he asked what was wrong.

"Can you hold me while I sleep?" I asked, knowing my words weren't all that clear.

"Why don't I sit here with you instead? I might hurt you trying to get into the small bed," He cautioned.

"She just gave me some pain meds, it will be worth it." I assured him with my diction slightly improved because I thought I might be winning this debate.

I heard the chair scoot back and felt his strong arms lift me and move me to the right in my bed to make room for him to climb in next to me. I sighed as soon as his arms pulled me to him and I relaxed knowing the medication would help me sleep, but Ranger's arms would insure it would be peaceful.


	24. Blessed

_Character's are JE. It's her genius I'm playing with here._

_Fredda (Rangergirl1234) thank you so much for your willingness to do the beta work for this story. You deserve far more than a single line of thanks, but I offer it anyway._

**Chapter 24 – Blessed**

_Ranger's POV_

"Let me see it," Lester whispered.

"Get your hand off of me before I break it," Tank rebuffed.

"So touchy," Les replied. "I just want to be sure you got them right. I'll be the hero of my family when I carry a copy of that picture to dinner tonight."

My arms instinctively tightened around Stephanie to protect her from the craziness of the men in the room with us. "If you both don't shut up I'll see to it that you aren't able to walk for that family dinner tonight." I replied as quietly as possible.

I should have known Stephanie was awake, but her soft voice caught me off guard, "Yea, and I want a copy of that picture framed and on my desk by the time I'm discharged too."

Tank's eyes opened wide and Les smiled at the sound of her voice. I think it was the relief of hearing her say something so normal and spunky that did it and I had no choice but to laugh. As soon as the first chuckle left my lips it hit Tank and Les as funny too and we all enjoyed our first good light hearted moment in a long time.

Stephanie pulled herself around from her burrow at my shoulder and continued to lean against me to size up her visitors.

"Damn, it's good to see you little girl," Tank said as he began to calm down.

"It's good to see you too big guy," She replied with a smile.

Les was strangely quiet; a fact that wasn't lost on the woman next to me. "What's the matter, Lester?" She pressed. "Cat got your tongue?"

He looked at her and there was no longer a trace of humor left on his face. "No, I have plenty to say, I just don't know where to start."

"How about you start by coming over here and giving me a hug. I think just this once Ranger won't yell at you to keep your hands off of me." She encouraged.

I wasn't so sure about that, but I knew he was blaming himself that she was in the hospital at all, and he needed to understand she didn't consider her kidnapping his fault and that she was going to be fine.

He followed her directions and sat gently on the edge of the bed beside her. She sat up slowly and then put her arms around his neck as though she were keeping her movements measured to prevent hurting him. It took a few seconds of being in Steph's embrace before he began to talk.

"I'm so sorry Beautiful. I was supposed to protect you and they got you anyway. I should have been watching in that direction and by the time you warned me someone was there, it was too late. I tried to defend you by stepping in front, but they got you anyway. I'm so sorry." He was rambling, and I could hear a glitch in his voice that made me think he was struggling to keep his emotions buried. I understood his struggle. Steph's arms were a miraculous place, and the safety found there could make even the strongest man spill his heart.

She let him ramble for a minute and then she interrupted. "It's alright Lester. If I weren't connected to all the wires and tubes, I'd smack you in the back of your head to knock some sense into you."

Tank piped up, "I'll be glad to do it for you, Bomber."

She ignored him but I smiled at my second in charge.

"Les, you need to understand there was nothing you could do. You stepped in front of me, willing to sacrifice yourself to save my life, and I can't find the words to say thank you for that." She began, doing a little rambling of her own.

Silence ticked away for a few seconds before the Lester we all knew came back and said, "I can think of something that might show me your appreciation Beautiful. But, you're going to need to get rid of the boss man first."

"Santos," I growled, and Stephanie laughed.

"How about we all go out, when I'm out of here and back to normal, and I save the second dance for you?" She counter offered.

He pulled back a little and pushed some hair away from her face in a motion that I had performed hundreds of times. "That would work too." He agreed placing a kiss on her forehead before getting up and returning to a guest chair at the foot of her bed.

"When do I get to go home?" She asked tentatively.

I held her tightly and answered, "The doctor came by while you were sleeping and said if everything stays stable overnight then you can be discharged in the morning. But you won't be able to stay alone. You'll need some help because of that cast and the wound on your shoulder."

Completely ignoring the guys, she turned to better see my face. "I hope it's alright, but I hadn't really planned on staying by myself…ever again."

I decided to follow her lead and I moved a hand into her mess of curls to steady her face while I lowered mine to hers. Stopping inches from her face I said, "I didn't want to scare you, or push too much. But before Castillo got you, I wanted to ask you to move into the seventh floor apartment. Now that I've gotten you back, I can't think about you not being there."

She moved slightly closer and lowered her eyes to my lips to reply, "Hopefully you want me there for better reasons than my safety."

"Babe, that apartment is probably not the _safest_ place for you. The doctor says you have to be on limited activity for a while, and the things I want to do to you are definitely not limited." I replied as she slowly licked her lips.

I stayed still trying to respect the fact she had been through a horrible ordeal and might need a little space without a strong man forcing himself on her. But when she closed the distance between us, I returned her kiss with all the urgency I felt. I felt her cast on my shoulder and the exposed tips of her fingers pulling at my hair. Her tongue moved into my mouth and danced with mine as I rotated her body so that we were pressed more closely together. I couldn't resist moving my other hand along her back and settling it on her ass where my palm could cup the roundness there. The sensation of having her in my hands once more, after fearing she had been taken from me forever, caused me to moan lowly.

I could vaguely hear Lester ask Tank if they should interrupt, but before he could answer the question, Bobby walked in.

"What in the hell is going on here? She's on restricted activity and what you're doing is on the top of the do not do list." He said in a stern voice.

"I feel like my dad just caught me making out," she said shaking with laughter.

Once again her joy was infectious, and even Bobby had to smile and then laugh seeing her happy. He came closer and took a quick look at the monitors behind her and nodded. "It looks like you're doing much better."

She nodded and looked at me, "I am now," was her only response. I took her good hand in mine and brought it up to my lips.

"Hell Brown, you better jump in now if you want to say something. They'll be at it again in a few seconds." Lester joked. I was going to disagree, but looking at the dark blue of her eyes told me he was probably right.

"Actually, I would like to talk to you Stephanie," he said a little more seriously.

That got her attention and she sat up to face him better. "What's wrong Bobby?"

_Stephanie's POV_

Bobby looked at Carlos first, and then back to me. "I owe you an apology Stephanie."

My mind was drawing a blank on what he was talking about. "What on earth for?"

"For getting you into this mess. I was the one that volunteered you to take care of Ranger. It was my shirking of my responsibilities that got you sick and had you suffering with dizziness for so long. Then you and the boss getting together happened just when Castillo was in town, so you were thrown into the middle of that too. If I'd just done my job all of this could have been avoided." He confessed.

I should have given him a tender and understanding response, but I decided to just say what popped into my head. "Would you shut-up? Have you listened yourself? You are saying that because you decided to step up and be a good father that you caused me to be kidnapped. I think you are taking credit for things that didn't involve you. Carlos and I have been dancing around each other for a few years. Yes, being quarantined together probably brought us together quicker, but you can't really take credit for that either. What happened was because of one sick man, and because Carlos and I finally decided to admit to each other what has been obvious to everyone else for a while now."

He looked like I'd slapped him and I began to wonder if I'd said too much. The fact that Carlos was lightly running his fingertips up and down my forearm told me he thought I was doing alright so I pressed it a little.

"I think if anybody needs to say something after this ordeal, it's us. We need to thank you for locking us up together so that we could sort ourselves out. And then when trouble came, you were right there to help us both." I hoped he understood what I was saying.

Bobby looked at Carlos for a minute and then smiled at me slightly. "I think the only response here is 'yes ma'am'."

"No," I corrected him. "A better response would be 'since you are stuck in that bed, would you like to see some pictures of my daughter'?"

He smiled at me and reached for his phone pulling up an impressive number of snapshots that captured the first two weeks of his daughter's life.

"She's just beautiful," I told him honestly. Her skin tone was slightly lighter than Bobby's and she definitely had more hair, but there was something about her big eyes that reminded me of the gentle man beside me.

He took his phone back from my outstretched hand and looked at it briefly before returning it to the holster at his side. "She is something. I've not been a father for very long and I'm already questioning things I thought I had under control before."

"Like what?" I jumped in, always interested in what the guys were thinking.

"Like whether it's enough to just be committed to Gina, or if we need to be married right away. Or if my house has enough security set up." He began to list off.

Lester jumped in, "Two days ago he asked me to swing by Jefferson's because he needed a couple more guns."

Bobby turned to glare at his partner and friend. "Look it's not my fault you were talking about what it would be like when boys started coming by and I realized I needed to build up my armory now."

They joked back and forth and I relaxed against Carlos thinking about how wonderful it was to be surrounded by our friends like this.

Tank looked down at his watch and announced it was time for them to return to work. Apparently, they'd just stopped by on their dinner break and they had to go back and finish their shifts. I couldn't believe they were giving up their personal time just to check on me.

"Beautiful, we'd give up just about anything to spend some time with you." Lester replied as my cheeks reddened at the thought I was still talking out loud. I guess the bang on the head didn't do much to help with that character flaw.

"You coming, Bossman?" Tank asked Ranger before they got to the door.

"I'll swing by later to shower and change, and then I'll come back here for the night." He told them.

After the guys left I asked why he didn't just go with them. I figured the sooner he left the sooner he'd be back, and I was ready for him to be back.

He looked at my eyes for a long moment before answering. "I don't want to leave you at all, but I know I need to check in and be sure Ella's got everything set up the way I want it when I bring you home in the morning."

"Then why not go now and then you can get back quicker?" I pressed.

"Because I can't leave until my back-up is here," he replied with a smile.

"Your back-up?" I asked feeling my mood shift from blissful to rhino in less than a second. "Are you saying I need a babysitter?"

Carlos had the nerve to laugh at my question, which only increased my ire. Fortunately, he answered, "No, Babe, you don't need a babysitter. But I do want someone with you while you're awake in case you have any symptoms from the trauma you've been through, and there aren't many of the guys that I trust to be alone with you while you're in such a thin gown stretched out in a bed." As he spoke he trailed his magic fingers along my side, and when he finished I was buzzing with need. I know Bobby was probably right about us not fooling around but right now, but my body was screaming to have his hands on me.

I pushed myself against him shamelessly and let my head fall back, revealing more of my neck to him. Carlos took the hint and began kissing me at my chin and worked down my neck to my collarbone. Just as his hand was a mere inches from my breast the door opened once more and this time it was Cal's voice that filled the air.

"Shit, we can't leave you two alone for five minutes without you attacking her can we? Seriously man, where is this legendary control you've always touted?" He demanded, interrupting us once more.

"I take it this is your back-up?" I asked with my face against his chest.

"You got it, Babe. I'll be back as quick as I can, but while I'm gone Cal is going to sit with you. Do you need anything before I go?" He asked.

I tried to answer quietly, "I need lots of things, but you leaving seems to imply I'm not going to get them."

Cal laughed at my response. "I guess next time I should jump on Steph instead of you, man. Sorry about that."

Ranger laughed softly, pulling me tightly to him once more and placing a lingering kiss on my head. "When I come back, I'll bring dinner." He promised and I reluctantly let him go.

_Ranger's POV_

I drove as fast as I could to get back to the office. I stopped by five and checked in with Tank. I already knew everything was running smoothly, so I barely listened to his report. Before I walked out of his office I told him, "I'll be at the hospital tonight, and then I'll bring Steph back here in the morning. I'm going to be off-line for a couple of days while she recuperates."

"I wouldn't have expected anything else," He replied. "Bring our little girl home, man."

I promised I would and took the stairs two at a time with a smile on my face. I couldn't believe how much more I'd laughed and smiled since Steph came into my life. I was even voluntarily taking a few days off too just to be with her. There was really no medical reason for me to sit by her side all day, but I wanted to and this provided me the perfect excuse to indulge my desire to be close to her.

I rushed through my shower and shaved before throwing on my standard uniform and packing a bag for Steph. I had her clothes and toiletries pulled together and then ran back in the bathroom to get some of my shower gel too. I knew they'd want her to bath before she left and I thought she'd appreciate this instead of the hospital issued soap.

I also called Ella and went over a few things I wanted her to have on hand for Stephanie's arrival.

"Of course, dear," she replied, patiently writing them all down even though I knew in the back of my mind she probably would have done them all anyway. I didn't know why I was over thinking this. Steph had been in my apartment plenty of times and wouldn't expect it to look any different just because I hoped she was going to stay here permanently.

"Thanks Tia Ella," I told her before disconnecting the phone and grabbing the bag to return to the hospital.

I realized then that I wasn't nervous; I was excited. It had been a long time since I'd had something like this to look forward to, and the feeling, reminiscent of how I used to feel on Christmas Eve, was brewing in the pit of my stomach. I called an order in to Pino's on the way to carry to the hospital. I knew she'd like it, but I had more selfish reasons. If I couldn't have her fully, I could at least listen to her eat.

_Stephanie's POV_

Cal waited until the door closed behind Carlos to come quickly to my bed and wrap me in a tight hug. He was the first person to touch me as though I wouldn't break and I loved the way it felt to be handled that way.

"You seem happy," I said after a minute of his embrace.

He pulled back slightly and then moved me so he could sit on the bed beside me with his knees pointing to me so we were facing each other. He winked quickly before saying, "I couldn't be happier, Angel."

"What's got you so turned on?" I asked, not thinking about the double meaning of my words until it was too late.

Fortunately, Cal blushed instead of laughing, so I figured there was something for us to talk about besides my recent ordeal.

"You are so going to tell me what's going on," I prompted before crossing my legs Indian style eagerly waiting for a good story.

Cal reached over and rustled my hair in an open handed noogie before saying, "Alright, I'll give you the details, but only because I'm so damn happy to see you finally awake and back to yourself."

"Whatever," I replied wanting to keep the attention off of me. "Now tell me what's up."

"After we got you out of the house Bobby and I brought you back to the truck. He jumped in the back working on you, cleaning off the dirt and blood and checking your wounds." His face was serious again and I could see how painful the memory was for him.

I put my hand on his arm and he covered it with his own. "I gave you a little privacy and stood guard while we were waiting for Ranger to come out. Bobby was itching to get you to the hospital, mumbling about possible internal bleeding."

I squeezed him a little and he kept talking. "When he came out and told us to take you to St. Francis, I jumped in to drive and Binkie rode shotgun."

I didn't know where this was going, but the possibility my mind was spinning was very interesting.

"When we got here, Ranger jumped out with you in his arms and Bobby was one step behind. We parked the SUV, called the guys to let them know what was going on, and then we had to cool our heels waiting for word on your condition." He kept talking, but a slight smile began to form on his lips.

"Through it all Binkie never left my side. When I got up for coffee he offered to join me. When I needed to take a walk, he opened the door and then silently followed me out." He picked my hand up from his arm and held it in his rough hand before continuing.

"By the time Bobby finally came out to talk to us, I was a wreck. I was kicking myself for not doing more in our self-defense session." He confessed.

I tried to interrupt him to point out what he taught me probably saved my life, but before I could get it out he said, "Don't get me wrong, Angel. I was so proud of you. I saw the look on your face and knew something was going on. Then when you broke out of his hold and said that line about only needing a few seconds, I stood up and damn near scared the shit out of everybody watching. Hector got the signal and your location about thirty seconds later. You were…hell, you were great."

"Thanks for working with me. If we hadn't had that couple hours I wouldn't have been able to activate the panic button. I just hoped you guys were monitoring the signal." I said.

"The funny thing is, if you hadn't wanted to your little test on Binkie we probably wouldn't have worked on that hold and you might not have been able to get free. In some ways Binkie helped saved you too." He said with that adorable blush returning to his face.

I looked at him expectantly and he kept talking, "Anyway, when Bobby told us you were out of surgery for your hand and you had a concussion but no other internal injuries we were so relieved. But I was still wound up tight from being worried for so long. Binkie must have noticed on the drive back to Haywood because he asked if I wanted to have a beer. I don't know why, but it seemed like the right thing to do, so I followed him back to his apartment and we started going through a case of Sam Adams."

He paused and I was concerned he was going to stop there, but he kept going and told me what I had hoped to hear from him. "After our third one Binkie asked what the deal was between you and me. I nearly choked on my beer and told him about the day I took you shopping for Bobby's gift. I explained how I had tried baiting the boss to encourage him to act on his feelings and how I'd confessed to you that I was gay."

At that point Cal started to chuckle slightly before saying, "Yea, Binkie nearly choked on his beer when I told him you were the only person that knew that little secret. We talked about our families and why I never really come out, and then he opened up and confessed he had the same secret except all the people closest to him already knew."

"After our sixth beer we were both feeling pretty relaxed, and a couple later we were buzzed enough to feel no pain and I finally began to relax from the tension of the day and all that had happened. Then, I can't really describe what happened, but Binkie leaned over and kissed me and…" The blush returned and I noticed his hazel eyes were dilated, and I had a feeling I knew what came after his pause.

I reached up and caressed his cheek to get his attention, "I'm so happy for you."

Before he could say anything the door swung open and Binkie walked in with a white bag, a tray of coffee cups, and a smile. I froze, realizing I'd never seen him smile before, and in my state I didn't remove my hand from Cal's cheek.

"Careful there, Stephanie. I don't do the sharing thing really well." Binkie said, and my jaw dropped to my chest. Fortunately, my hand responded to my request for it to move and I pulled it back to my stomach awkwardly.

"Shit, Cal, I'm sorry. I thought you were going to tell her." Binkie stumbled, thinking he had just outed their relationship to me.

"He did," I jumped in quickly. "It's just that I've never heard you talk before and that just sounded so normal coming out of your mouth."

Cal doubled over laughing at my response and reached out to take a coffee from Binkie. I couldn't help but notice their hands lingered a little longer than was necessary to exchange a cup of coffee and it only made me smile harder. When he finally pulled his hand back he answered my comment, "Trust me Angel, he talks. Get a few beers in him, and he hardly shuts up."

They bantered back and forth for a while and I leaned into my pillow drinking the coffee Binkie brought and licking the last crumbs of the Boston Crème from my fingers that he snuck in for me. I was happily floating in my own little world, probably still a little buzzed from the pain medication, when I noticed they were both staring at me.

"What?" I asked worried I had said or done something embarrassing.

"Are you okay," Cal asked. "You've got a grin plastered on your face."

I said the first thing that came into my mind without editing it. "I'm just glad to be surrounded by my friends, and I think I'm going to need to borrow Binkie for a while."

Both of them looked confused by my comment so I explained, "This has to be the most perfect cup of coffee I've ever had."

I heard voices in the hall and figured Ranger was back and the guys were giving him a hard time about something. Cal must have known our time was coming to an end as well because he leaned forward and said, "Coffee's not the only thing that he makes perfectly."

Perhaps it should have been odd that I had two huge men in my hospital room who were teasing each other about their relationship, but something in me was basking in the happiness surrounding me. I had been through something I wasn't sure I would survive and it made me want to see the goodness around me. I had never noticed just how blessed I was to have such an abundance of it.

No sooner had I thought that than the door to my room opened and Ranger walked in. He had a duffle bag on his shoulder and a take out bag from Pino's in his hand. My stomach was growling, and the man in front of me had the means to satisfy all my hungers. Blessed didn't begin to cover my current situation.


	25. Connections

_Not mine…all the genius of the beautiful characters is JE's._

_Fredda (Rangergirl1234), thank you so much for your fast turnaround and careful eye as the beta on this story. I am so lucky as you are doing the hard work of proofing the raw chapters I send._

**Chapter 25 - Connections**

_Stephanie's POV_

"Do I have to get in that?" I asked when the nurse I liked from yesterday came in with a wheelchair and a smile.

"Babe," Ranger said in an attempt to intimidate me.

"Don't give me that. The last time you were in the hospital I believe Lester ended up sitting in the chair and you pushed him out because the nurse said for you to leave someone had to be in that chair." I countered, making him smile at the memory.

Bobby walked in with a folder full of what I assumed were my discharge papers. "Come on Bomber get in the chair and then we can get you back to the office. The guys are going to be disappointed if you miss their attempt at a welcome home party."

I stood up quickly at the mention of a party and then looked at Carlos with narrowed eyes and threatened, "If there's no cake, it doesn't count as a party. You didn't ban sugar for this little gathering did you?"

"I stayed out of the arrangements and told Ella to do whatever she thought was best when the guys asked if they could do something for you." He confessed while holding my elbow and looking at me as though he expected me to fall over at any moment.

I knew he had gotten used to protecting me from the episodes of dizziness that had plagued me after the virus, but since the antibiotics had done the trick to blast my inner ear infection, I hadn't had any trouble. The shower I took this morning with his "help" should have proved to him I was not as prone to equilibrium issues. Even though his control was firmly in place to not do anything on my banned activities list, I still tried to push the envelope as far as possible. I think I would have won, except the night nurse came in to check on me and interrupted my advances. After that Ranger was firmly in control and kept us focused on getting me clean while keeping the bandages and my cast dry.

I sat down in the chair and allowed Ranger to push me out with Bobby leading the way. When we got down to the lobby Lester was standing in front of an SUV with mirrored sunglasses on, scanning the area for possible threats. When he saw me his face lit up with a smile and he opened the back door.

Carlos put a hand on my shoulder just as I was about to stand up in order to keep me in the chair for the last twenty feet. "See, Cuz, some people understand how to abide by hospital regulations and take the ride out in the chair."

I didn't hear a response, but I guessed Lester got a look from his cousin as he said nothing further on the subject.

The ride back was quiet in typical RangeMan style. I was in the middle of the backseat, practically in Carlos' lap. I had been sitting on the passenger side when I entered the truck, but when he got in on the other side he reached over without saying a word, and pulled me to him. I was most comfortable beside him, so I didn't complain.

When we pulled into the garage Carlos kept my hand in his so that I would follow him out of the SUV and together we rode the elevator. A sling immobilized my casted arm and kept my shoulder still. It also served as a buffer so that avid huggers wouldn't jostle it too much, as it was still really tender. The stitches on my left arm weren't as sore today and I was looking forward to having them removed next week. I'd always have the scar from the burn and the knife, but overall, I knew it was a miracle I had gotten out of there with so little damage.

As soon as the elevator doors opened on five, cheers erupted telling me the guys had been carefully watching the monitors for our arrival. It was overwhelming to see all the guys so excited and happy. There were two men in the control room that I didn't know. I had seen them before and knew they were contract workers. "None of the guys wanted to miss seeing you come home, so I had to call in some extra staff to keep the place running." Carlos explained softly in my ear.

Cal came up to me first and hugged me to the side to avoid my injuries. "Welcome home, Angel," he said, pressing a kiss on my cheek. When he pulled back he added, "If you get bored sitting upstairs, come down and see me. We'll grab Binkie to make us some coffee."

I couldn't help but grin at his reference to the perfect cup of coffee title I had given to Binkie, and to the fact that my friend seemed happier than I'd ever seen him before. After he backed away I was passed from one Merry Man to the next and tried to keep my tears at bay, but by the end I could feel them beginning to fall. It was so overwhelming to think that the guys were this excited to have me home.

Ranger was waiting at the end of the line and pulled me to him, wrapping his strong arms around me and leaning down just enough to ask, "Happy tears?"

I nodded, trying to pull myself back together. The sound of Ella's cart with the single squeaky wheel helped me focus on something other than my overwhelmed feelings and I was able to dry my face and turn back around.

I liked that Carlos let me spin around, but his arms stayed around me, pulling my back to his front and resting his chin lightly on the top of my head. Ella's cart, which usually brought big caldrons of soup and plates or bowls, was covered with an enormous cake that had "Welcome Back Stephanie!" written on the top made entirely out of icing flowers arranged to make the letters. It meant almost every slice would have a huge amount of sugar topping and it made my mouth water at the thought of having a slice.

We cut into the cake and Ranger led us over to a chair in the corner of the conference room and pulled me into his lap. He took the plate and fork, which would normally be cause for a fight in my book, but since I knew he wasn't going to eat it I let him have it. He began to feed me small bites until I grinned at him, looked down at the fork and shook my head before directing him by saying, "Bigger."

He laughed full on and it got the attention of the guys crowded around us. I guess they weren't used to him laughing either. Fortunately, he acquiesced to my request for a larger bite and he offered me nearly more than I could manage. It was at the corner of the piece so it was more icing than cake. As soon as the sugar began to melt in my mouth, I moaned and shut my eyes, enjoying the whole experience of eating Ella's delicious cake and taking my time to finish the entire bite before reentering reality.

When I opened them again Ranger was looking at me and my cake was gone. I looked around thinking he had hidden it to play a joke on me but his hands were empty. "Where's my cake?" I asked.

He moved to speak softly into my ear. "I ate it," he confessed, with no remorse evident in his tone.

"Why?" I pushed, still concentrating on my missing dessert.

"Because what you just did on my lap has me in such a state we can't leave until I can get it under control. And I was afraid if I gave you any more my condition might resolve itself and then we couldn't leave until everyone else was finished." He replied before licking my neck just behind my ear and causing me to shiver.

He had a self-satisfied grin on his face when he pulled back because of the reaction he got from me from such a small gesture. Not willing to bow to his sexual superiority just yet, I intentionally repositioned myself in his lap so that my rear end was directly over the bulge in his cargos. I moved ever so slightly until his hand gripped my waist.

In as innocent a manner as I was possible of, I turned my face to him, waiting to see what he would say. "Playing with fire, Babe," he cautioned.

I leaned back into his chest and replied, "Any chance I could get burned when we get upstairs?"

"Not if Brown insists on staying with us tonight." He told me, with a hint of bitterness seeping into his voice.

"Leave Bobby to me," I told him, getting a raised eyebrow in response. "When will you guys learn to trust me?" I scolded him, earning myself a smile on his gorgeous face. I couldn't resist leaning forward and kissing him. I realized somehow after all I'd been through with the virus and Castillo, I felt much like a vessel that had been cast by a potter and put through the fire to harden and perfect it. Now I was useful; I could serve the purpose I was created for. I felt like I'd proven to myself that I could survive in Ranger's world and if I worked hard at it, I could contribute there too. I didn't know if I'd ever feel secure enough to call myself Ranger's equal, but I definitely felt as though I deserved to be happy and nothing gave me happiness like Carlos.

I was beginning to feel tired by the time the welcome back party wound down. I had my head resting on Carlos' shoulder and he seemed perfectly content to just hold me in the chair in the corner. Finally Bobby took mercy on me and announced that the guys needed to back off because I wasn't cleared for duty yet, and I needed to get some rest. The few that were still in the conference room came around to welcome me back one more time and then reluctantly left.

I stood up and felt the exhaustion of everything I'd been though overwhelm me once more. I took a couple small steps and then stumbled slightly. Ranger's reflexes were instantaneous and he caught me before I could fall.

"Babe?" He asked with an edge of panic to his voice. Bobby was by our side in an instant with his hand around my wrist.

"I'm fine," I tried to assure them both, but could tell my words were falling on deaf ears. "I'm not dizzy; I was just suddenly exhausted and could really use a nap." I told them a little more firmly.

Bobby continued to monitor my pulse which I could feel escalating with my frustration level but he eventually let go of my wrist and spoke to Ranger, "Let's get her to bed and see if that doesn't help. If she's still having trouble walking after a period of rest then I'll call her doctor again and we can see what he wants to do."

"No doctors!" I practically screamed. I couldn't help but notice Binkie appeared at the door looking concerned.

"I'm fine," I said to him, and appreciated the fact that my words were registering on his face.

"Do they know that?" He replied, pointing to the two guys lording over me.

"They've been told, but they refuse to listen to me." I told him, thankful to have someone talk to me.

"Do you need help getting upstairs? You look exhausted." Binkie said with a wink so fast I nearly missed it. The rest of his face was devoid of any smile. I suddenly realized all this time I had assumed he was quiet and rather bland as far as the Merry Men went, but in reality, he was every bit as much of a jokester, I'd just missed it. No wonder Cal found him so interesting.

Binkie's suggestion that I needed help that wasn't being provided was too much for Ranger and he practically growled, "No, she has all the help she needs." With that, he picked me up bridal style and carried me to the elevator and the three of us rode to the seventh floor. I don't know why, but being in his arms, against the warmth of his body, I no longer felt as tired.

_Ranger's POV_

I took Steph straight to the bedroom and laid her in the center of the bed that Ella had already turned back the sheets on. Bobby followed us in and took her temperature, pulse, and blood pressure before asking if she needed any pain medication.

"No, now that I'm stretched out in bed, I feel much better." She replied. Bobby was packing up his bag and she called to him once more, causing him to spin around in surprise.

"Can I talk to you about my recovery? I mean, what I should expect." She began with a coy tone to her voice I'd not heard before. Something told me this was about to be a good show, so I sat down on the bed next to her and waited to see what she had in mind.

"Of course," Bobby replied eager to help her in any way, totally unaware he was possibly walking into a trap.

"I know I need a little more rest, especially while I have the stitches in place. And I know I can't do any field work, and no skips with my hand in the cast." She began, laying out her restrictions clearly.

"That's right; it sounds like you understand things," he agreed, unsure where the question was.

"When I was in that house I couldn't help but think that the one training session I had with Cal probably saved me from the harm he was able to inflict being much worse." She began talking slowly, as though she were concerned, but I could see her eyes practically dancing and I found her impossible to look away from.

"Bomber, we may have gotten you free, but in my mind, you rescued yourself." He assured her and my heart swelled with pride as I agreed with him.

"If that's true, I think you can understand how anxious I am to learn some more things that might be helpful if I were ever in a situation like that again." She continued, keeping his attention focused on her.

"You know the guys and I would be more than glad to work with you, but what you can do right with self-defense now is pretty limited." He replied.

"I know, but I was thinking if while my hand and shoulder were healing I might be able to do other things like some more advanced computer searches and maybe some more B&E skills like what Ranger had taught me in my apartment." She began casting her net.

"Absolutely, there is no reason you can't start small and work your way up." He replied so quickly he didn't realize what she was doing.

"Do you think it might be safe when I think I'm up for it to spend a little time in the gym maybe walking on a treadmill? I mean, I can't do self defense, but if I'm in slightly better shape when I'm ready to learn more physical skills, I'd think it would help, right?" She asked sounding so sincere.

"Walking would be a great form of exercise for you. And, I would think you would be the best judge for when you are ready for that." He counseled her.

"If I got bored walking, could I ride the stationary bike or use the Stairmaster?" She asked and I began to suspect I knew where this trap was going to spring.

"Yes, but those might get your heart rate up higher so you'd need to be careful to watch how you felt while you were using them. But again, your body will tell you when you've had enough, and there is no reason for you to avoid aerobic workouts just because your hand is in a cast. I mean, the guys modify their routines all the time when they are injured in order to stay in shape." He assured her.

"That's great, Bobby. Thanks." She answered happily. I wasn't sure why she stopped there, but I wasn't going to ask and ruin whatever she had up her sleeve.

She started to pull at the covers and Bobby helped her get them up so that she was comfortable. I stood up to follow him out but she reached for me and stopped my progress. "Where are you going?" She asked me.

I looked to Bobby and he was watching me for my response as well. "I was going out to the living room so that you could get some rest."

"I don't think I'm quite ready to go to sleep yet, so I was hoping you'd stay." She replied, winking at me so that Bobby couldn't see her. God, that simple suggestive motion was enough to make my body begin to respond to her, so I sat down quickly.

Bobby spoke up, "Do I need to remind you two that she is on limited activity and too much activity is not something that is in her best interest right now. I think it would be better if you gave her some room to sleep and left her in here alone," he advised.

Her grip on my arm tightened as she responded, "But you said I could decide what I was up for based on how I felt, and I feel like Carlos should definitely stay in here with me."

"He can stay," Bobby said before adding, "But no sex."

"Why not? You said it was safe to use the Stairmaster, and I know from heart patients that when they are able to climb a single set of stairs that they are clear for sex, so why am I am different. As long as we don't do anything to hurt my hand or shoulder, why should I refrain from a little aerobic workout?" She pressed.

Bobby's mouth opened to respond and then shut again quickly. "Steph…" he began a second time, but could not come up with anything else.

"I rest better when I'm relaxed, and no one gets me relaxed like Carlos," She told him with her voice getting slightly lower and her eyes closing somewhat in a very provocative way.

"But, your shoulder and arm shouldn't be moved," he tried offering as an argument for abstinence.

"I think we can be…" she paused slightly before looking at me to finish by saying, "creative."

He stood there silently watching us at a loss as to what to say. She had already trapped him with the conversation about working out. There was no other logical argument to be made to deter us, so I pulled her closer to me being very careful of her arm in the sling.

"You've been great Bobby, but I'll be okay. I'll bet Gina would love to see you." She added and he quickly disappeared.

"What was that?" I asked her when the door to the apartment closed.

She burst out laughing, "That was me proving that you can trust me when I tell you I can get rid of one of your guys."

My cell phone buzzed and I answered it knowing it must be important since I had already told the guys I was offline to stay with Stephanie. "Yo."

Brown's voice came through, "I didn't want to go back upstairs and bother you, but you do remember she's due for her next dose of her antibiotic, don't you?" If I didn't know better I'd say he was embarrassed, but my men didn't get embarrassed, so that couldn't be right.

"Affirmative," I replied, slipping away from Steph and going into the kitchen to grab her medication and a bottle of water. "Relax Brown," I directed him. "You should know I'd never do anything to hurt her."

He made a grunt that I assumed meant he knew that but before he disconnected I heard him say, "Four damn weeks."

I handed Steph the water and the pill and said, "Do you have any idea why Bobby would mad about something that would be happening in four weeks?"

"What?" She asked apparently needing the context, which I shared with her, making her laugh once more. "You realize Isabelle was born two weeks ago, so I'm guessing he's irritated thinking that we are up here fooling around when Gina is not supposed to have sex again for four more weeks. The doctors make you wait six weeks after you've had a baby," She explained. Suddenly, the strange look on his face before he left made sense and I felt sorry for the man. I couldn't imagine being in bed with Steph for that long but being unable to touch her.

I returned to the kitchen to grab another bottle of water to keep by the bedside and picked up a banana on the way, hoping I could convince her to eat a little something good for her before going to sleep. I remembered she had still not gotten her full appetite back after the virus and I wanted to be sure her strength was restored.

When I walked back in the bedroom she was laying back with her eyes closed. I couldn't tell if she was asleep yet or not but I stopped in my tracks to look at her for a moment. God, she was beautiful. Her crazy hair was spread over the pillow and she looked so peaceful. While I was watching her a line appeared on her forehead and she began to scratch at the sling immobilizing her arm.

I walked over quickly and cupped her cheek with my hand to let her know I was there. Her eyes shot open but once they focused on my face she smiled softly at me. "Do you want to get out of that sling?" I asked, knowing she didn't need to wear it all the time.

She nodded and sat up so that I could help to get her arm out with minimal movement. As I sat it on the nightstand I watched her straighten her arm enjoying the motion. She lifted her arm slightly to the side and I knew it probably both felt good to stretch and was slightly sore from the wound there.

When she was satisfied from having stretched a little she scooted closer to me and lifted her good hand up to run her fingers through my hair. I shut my eyes and took a deep breath, allowing myself to relax in the fact that she was safe and home with me. While I was absorbing the peace that she always brought to me her voice came through by asking, "How are you doing?"

My eyes opened in surprise. She had no doubt been to hell and back and her greatest concern at the moment was whether or not I was okay. "I'm fine, Babe." I told her.

"No, how are you doing?" She pressed further. "There's no way you're going to convince me that you are okay with everything that's happened over the last week."

I couldn't control the reaction of anger that flashed across my face. "No, I'll never be okay with what happened to you." I corrected.

"Then tell me how you're doing." She tried one more time. 

Realizing this might be a more lengthy conversation I bent over to untie my boots in order to join her fully on the bed. While I worked, I talked. "I'm doing better now that I know you are safe."

"Did this whole experience make you rethink us?" She asked with an uncertain edge to her voice.

"Yes," I replied honestly refusing to look at her face because I knew she was probably misunderstanding my honest answer. I walked around the bed and climbed in, moving to be right beside her and then pulled her over to lean against me so I could explain myself.

"When I realized you were gone I had a hard time getting myself together enough to be useful. Hell, Tank had to suggest getting the security feed and I had to take a few minutes to myself outside just to pull myself together enough to walk back through the office to the truck out back. It was all I could do to keep my emotions in check."

While I opened up she put her hand on my thigh and slowly traced imaginary patterns on my leg. "I beat myself up thinking of how I had kept you at arms length for years in order to keep you safe, but the moment I decide to let you completely in, my biggest fear was realized and an enemy tried to use you to get to me."

She didn't say anything, probably worried if she interrupted I wouldn't keep talking. "But when I saw your face on that first transmission from Castillo I was amazed at how strong you looked. You were keeping your emotions under control. You were cataloging the room and the threats and you showed no weakness at all. I was so proud of you, Babe."

As I said that she quit moving her hand and lightly squeezed my thigh instead. "Seeing that, I knew that you would be alright as long as we did our job and got to you in time. You made me stronger, better somehow. I had to admit that I needed you and even though it was killing me to see what those bastards were trying to do to you, I knew that I couldn't go back to the distance we used to share."

When I realized I was doing all the talking I turned the tables on her and asked, "How are you doing?"

"I was scared, but I refused to fall apart because of it. I kept telling myself I just needed to keep it together and stay strong because I knew you would find me. I tried to do what I thought you would do in the same situation, and it got me through it." She explained, making me smile at the thought that she was trying to act like me.

"The cut and the burn weren't the worst part." She went on. "The worst part was knowing you were watching parts of what was happening and probably thinking the worst. I knew it wasn't as bad as it looked, but I couldn't tell you that without tipping off Castillo." She paused for a short second before continuing, "I'm sorry about worrying you."

"Babe," I interrupted. "Stop. I can't begin to tell you how proud of you I am. What Bobby said earlier was right. We might have gotten there in time to cut the restraints and get you out of the position you were in, but your level head and fast thinking is what saved you."

"I don't want you to get too carried away with this," she said as though she were intentionally trying to change the subject to deflect the attention from her, "But I wasn't completely pulling Bobby's leg when I asked about working out. I realized when I was in that helpless position that I couldn't allow that to ever happen again. I am going to need to get better at defending myself so that neither of us has to go through something like that again."

"Do you want to go running with me in the morning?" I asked as a joke.

She squeezed my leg twice as hard at my humor and said, "Not tomorrow, but maybe soon."

We sat in companionable silence for a few moments each lost in our thoughts and drawing strength from the fact we were together. She broke the silence once more, "Carlos, I don't think I need a nap right now."

"What do you need, Babe?" I asked, sincerely hoping there was something I could do for her.

"You," she replied simply.

"You have me," I replied honestly, not understanding what she meant. "What else do you need?" I tried to think of things that she might enjoy that wouldn't be too stressful but before I could get past watching a movie she turned to look me in the eye.

"You, Carlos, I only want you." And before I could say anything else she kissed me. This wasn't a slow kiss of lovers enjoying their time together. There was an urgency, a pleading in her lips that my body responded to immediately. When her lips left mine to journey down my neck she spoke between kisses and said, "I need you to make love to me."

I began to respond on instinct but before it went too far I remembered her injuries and pulled back. "I don't want to hurt you, Stephanie."

_Stephanie's POV_

Clearly it was going to take a little convincing that he wasn't going to hurt me. Of course, at this point even if he did hurt me I didn't care, I just needed the connection.

"You aren't going to hurt me," I encouraged kissing him once more. He kissed me in return but I could feel him holding back to keep things from moving too far and I wasn't going to let him do that. I had fought with everything I had to get back to him and I needed this.

"Damn it Carlos!" I said with a hint of anger seeping into my voice. "I need this. I've had people telling me what I can and cannot do for too long and I need to be in control." I said, hoping it softened my initial outburst.

He pulled back and looked into my eyes trying to read what was going on. He must have found the answer he needed there because he nodded and then scooted down on the bed and laid on his back before opening his arms to me. I climbed on top of him and straddled his waist, slowly lowering myself down to be sure I wasn't going to hurt myself. Realizing I could let my right hand lie on the bed beside us and just use my left hand to support myself I kissed him again. It wasn't hurried or aggressive, but it did let him know of the hunger I felt to have him. He made no attempt to stop me or question anything I needed after that.

I sat up again to begin the process of getting rid of the clothes between us but my one hand was useless, especially since I was right handed and my left hand couldn't get the belt unbuckled at the waist of his pants no matter how much I wanted too. "Let me help," he said, pushing me back slightly so that he could sit up. From that position he pulled his tight shirt off and threw it on the floor and then pointed to the buttons on my shirt. "May I?" he asked with his fingers poised to begin, but waiting for my permission first.

I nodded unsure of how my voice would sound if I tried using it. He made quick work of my shirt and it was tossed on his with one hand while his other reached behind me to unclasp my bra with a single hand. The whole time he kept his eyes focused on mine. I could already feel the connection beginning and yearned for it to be even more intense. I moved from his lap to allow him to get his pants undone, but even then he turned his face so that we were still looking at each other.

I never would have thought looking into his eyes would be more of a turn on than looking at his body being slowly revealed from under his clothes, yet my body was responding to the bond between us and I couldn't look away and risk breaking it. After adding his pants to the growing pile, he moved his hands to the waist of mine and began to tug at them. I pushed up to make it easier and when he got them to my knees I sat back to allow him to remove them completely. Then he returned to his previous position and once again opened his arms to me indicating I could have the control if I still needed it.

Climbing back to my perch over his waist I could feel the evidence of his reaction to me and it spurred me on. I leaned down slowly once more, keeping my eyes open until our lips touched. I would have sworn a spark flew between us when we began to kiss and I shut my eyes and released a deep moan. Carlos' hands went to my hair and buried themselves in my curls. I didn't want to rush, but my body was screaming for more. I knew my body was still recovering and my energy was not what it needed to be to survive our usual pace of making love. But I had to feel him inside me. I had to know that despite his attempt, Castillo had completely failed in taking us away from each other. I lifted my hips and then lowered them, pressing my center against the hardness between us. I knew he could feel my moisture and he understood how much I wanted this.

When I lifted up again he moved his hand between us and positioned his shaft so that I could draw him into me easily. As I settled against him we both made noises from the fast change in position as I clamped my muscles down around him, assuring myself that he was there. I felt some tears slip from my eyes and didn't bother to brush them away knowing more would come in their place.

Carlos noticed and lifted his hand to my cheek getting my focus back on his face. "Happy tears?" He asked with a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

I nodded, hoping he understood happy didn't begin to cover how I felt now. We moved slowly, with no reason to hurry and every desire to extend this moment. I anchored myself by putting my good hand on his chest, allowing me to see his face as our bodies moved as one. Our thrusts were slow but deep. I felt the loss of him each time I lifted up and then welcomed him anew with every return. I had no idea how long we moved this way. There are times when words will not convey what one feels, and in this case our bodies were trying to communicate what our limited vocabulary could not.

It was torture of the sweetest kind and I was basking in it, in him. "Babe," Carlos said in a breathy tone. His voice saying that single word so packed with other messages I could hardly receive them all. It also broke the trance enough that my body began to demand more. I lowered myself back to his face in order to kiss him once more. The angle shifted as well and it felt as though he were touching new places inside me, setting a fire even hotter than it had been before.

He held my face between his hands as our tempo increased, turning this from a dance of a slow sensual nature to one of greater speed, laced with heated desire. I shut my eyes tightly and screamed his name as the orgasm shot through me so suddenly I couldn't brace myself for its impact. From the sound of the growl Carlos released I'd say he felt the same way. Our hips did not stop but they did slow and return to the slower deeper strokes we began with as we struggled to control our breathing.

I forced myself to relax and open my eyes to see Carlos was still staring at me. "How do you feel now?" He asked, not teasing but not worried about the answer either.

I smiled and took a shaky breath before replying, "Loved."

His face then matched my own as he pulled me back to him for another slow lingering kiss. I knew I needed to shift my position as I could feel my hand beginning to swell against the cast from having it positioned down for so long. Despite not wanting to, I pulled myself away and laid beside Carlos, pleased when he rolled me slightly to spoon behind me. His arms gripped me tightly and I sighed at the feel of the one place that was home to me. The apartment was nice, and I certainly felt comfortable here, but nothing spoke of home to me like these arms. I wanted to stay awake and revel in the feel of them but my exhaustion caught up with me suddenly and I was powerless to resist it any longer.

Just before I slipped into slumber I heard Carlos' voice tell me, "Sleep, Babe, I'll be right here." And I knew in my heart he would be. We may have come together because of a weakened condition brought on by a fever, but the bond between us now showed no signs of such a beginning. We had been tested by being forced to face our worst fears in a relationship and we had survived. It may have been Castillo's intent to separate us forever, but he had failed on every level. Not only had we survived, but we were stronger than ever.

I drifted to sleep with a smile on my face, knowing I was probably the only person who believed their real life was so much better than what their dreams could manufacture. For once in my life I couldn't wait to wake up.


	26. Christmas

_The usual applies - JE's characters…my fun._

_Fredda (Rangergirl1234) Thank you again for jumping in to rescue me as the beta on this story. Your guidance and corrections have been invaluable._

**Chapter 26 – Christmas (Six weeks from the welcome home party)**

Ranger's POV

"Babe, you look beautiful," I told Stephanie for what I hoped was the last time after she came out of the bedroom in her third outfit.

"You're no help!" She admonished me with her hands in the air.

I could see she was getting worked up so I stood and walked over to her, placing my hands gently on her shoulders and letting them move softly down her arms. "You've met my parents and siblings before, this is no big deal."

"No big deal?" She asked, clearly not believing me. "Your grandmother is going to be there, and I don't have a good track record with grandparents. Plus, I know she played a big part in you finally telling me how you felt, so I need today to go well."

"Trust me, if one of us should be nervous, it's me. She'll love you as soon as she meets you, but me she'll have words for, over not bringing you to the family sooner." I assured her.

She took a deep breath and calmed down slightly so I decided to risk pointing out that we needed to leave soon by tapping on my watch.

"Just let me grab my bag and I'll be ready to go." She promised, heading back into the bedroom.

"Grab your brace too. I know you don't like wearing it, but you might need it," I reminded her, thankful I couldn't see the facial expression that went along with the whining sound she made.

She came back out quickly, still shoving things in her pocketbook. I raised an eyebrow at her and she stuck her tongue out at me. "No, it's not in here. I left it down at my desk, so we'll have to stop on the way down." She told me, looking pleased to be delaying our departure.

When we stepped out of the elevator on five she got a few cat calls which I hoped reinforced the fact she looked good. I went to the control room to check in with the guys and she went to get her brace. Her hand was healing nicely but the doctor was pretty adamant that if she wasn't seated or at home, she was to continue wearing the brace for at least another two weeks. Her wrist and fingers were still pretty weak from having to spend so much time in a cast while we waited for her bones to reknit enough to be free of the extra protection.

"We need to leave in five minutes, Babe," I called out when we split up.

_Stephanie's POV_

I went quickly to my desk, slightly irritated that Carlos was making me carry my brace. It was no big deal to wear it around the office since the guys were used to seeing it, but I didn't want to have it on when I met Abuela Rosa for the first time. I didn't want to give her any reason to think of me as damaged and therefore unworthy of her grandson.

I got to my cubicle and plopped down in my desk chair to shuffle the papers on my desk until I found my brace buried under one of my stacks. "Aha!" I called out when I saw the black hard plastic support with straps.

"Hey, why are you still here?" Cal asked with a smile.

I leaned back in my chair, happy to see my friend. "Carlos said I had to bring this, so before we could leave I had to find it." I explained holding out my brace.

Cal sat on the edge of my desk and pulled my hand into his, lightly running his fingers over the scars from my surgery. "Nervous?" he asked, knowing the answer.

I nodded that I was. "You picked the right outfit," he affirmed, making me smile. I had elected to wear a royal blue sweater he and Binkie encouraged me to purchase the last time we went out together. I didn't need bodyguards anymore but until my hand was a hundred percent Carlos insisted I have one of the guys with me anytime I left the building in order to help me with anything I needed. I had learned several months ago that Cal was great at shopping, and he seemed to enjoy it more with Binkie, although I think Binkie only came along to spend time with Cal. I'm pretty sure he would have shot us both if we'd looked at one more outfit that day.

The sweater was fitted, and had a high neck so it showed off my figure while providing a bit of elegance. I paired it with some winter white wool pants that were hemmed long so that I could wear some four inch heels that perfectly blended in with the pants, only peeking out when I walked quickly. I had fussed with my hair enough that morning that it was down and falling in loose curls. I only hoped it didn't rain so that the humidity couldn't undo all my efforts by frizzing my hair.

Binkie was walking past and did a double take when he saw us hiding in my cubicle. "What's going on?" He asked, leaning over to kiss my cheek. I can't believe there was ever a time I thought Binkie was quiet. As it turns out, he is a total sports fan and we have spent many nights arguing over games and players. When he and Cal started dating, Cal told him that I was like a little sister to him and to be in a relationship with him meant treating me as part of their family. Binkie grew up in a house of all men so the idea of having a little sister appealed to him and we fell into an easy friendship.

"She's hiding from Ranger, trying to avoid going to his parents' house today," Cal summed up, even though I hadn't told him that, it was still true. I couldn't explain it, but I felt like it was vital that today go well and that Abuela Rosa liked me. I had gotten myself really worked up over it.

Binkie bumped Cal so that he would scoot over and then he hopped up on the desk as well, concerning me that it might crack under the load of nearly four hundred and fifty pounds. Cal tapped his leg indicating I should put my head down. I didn't want to mess up my hair, but I needed a little comfort so I put my cheek down on his knee and let my curls fall down his leg.

Cal's hand rubbed my back and Binkie took the hand that Cal had been holding and squeezed it gently, carefully avoiding the still tender places on top. "She'll love you," Binkie began.

"And if she doesn't, you'll always have us," Cal reminded me.

"Babe," Carlos' voice cut through the haze of comfort being given to me and I sat up quickly. "We've been through this; she's going to love you." He assured me once more.

"Man, it's easy for you to say that because they're your family. And, I'm sure you're right because I don't see how anyone could meet Steph and not love her, but the last few months have been a real whirlwind for her and she's still a little raw from it." Cal explained. I guessed Carlos was slightly irritated that one of the guys was trying to explain his girlfriend to him, but his words were true so I didn't say anything to ease the moment.

Binkie however, decided to use the silence to make a point by standing up and leaning over me to whisper, "He's right; she's going to love you. And if she doesn't, come see us when you get home and we can talk about it over a cup of coffee."

I smiled, stood up, and decided I was ready to get it over with either way. I took the hand Carlos offered me and let him lead me to the garage and over to the Turbo. It was a week before Christmas and we still hadn't had the first snow yet. I had a wrap around me to keep warm, but having Carlos nearby insured I'd never get cold.

We rode to Newark in near silence; Carlos was in his zone and I was quietly trying to run through any possible scenario that might come up for me to embarrass myself. When he pulled onto their street, there were cars lining both sides of the road at the Manoso home so I knew the whole family was there.

I had met pretty much everyone but I'd not been around them all at once. Carlos had described his family gatherings as noisy chaotic events that he tried to limit exposure to because they always turned into discussions about his future and how he wasn't as young as he used to be. I think a piece of him was hoping that by bringing me with him to the family Christmas celebration he might avoid part of what made him shy away from these get-togethers.

He knocked on the door and put his arm around me. We heard voices shouting; most of them were in Spanish so I had no idea what they were talking about, but I did recognize his father's voice above them all yelling that he would get the door.

The wooden door open quickly and there stood a slightly smaller and older version of Carlos. "Estephania, Feliz Navidad!" Ricardo Manoso greeted me with a huge grin and a then a warm hug. "You are doing better than the last time we were together, right?"

I nodded and lifted my hand to show him the cast was gone. Ricardo lifted it and kissed my knuckles making me feel like a lady. "Come, there is someone who wants to meet you."

I allowed him to lead me but looked back to Carlos who was half smiling and following close behind. He pushed us through a group of children playing a board game in the hall and then stopped in front of the sofa where a small older lady was sitting next to Carlos' mother. She looked up and locked her gaze on Carlos and grinned, then she glanced over to me and stood up slowly, as though her age and the effort involved made it a more difficult task than she should be attempting unassisted.

She walked straight to me with her eyes glistening, "Stephanie?" She asked with a bit of accent coming through.

I nodded and Carlos made the formal introduction. "Stephanie, this is my grandmother, Abuela Rosa, mi Stephanie."

She took my hand in hers and said, "Welcome to the family, child. Come, we talk now." And with that she kept a firm grip on my hand and led me to the back of the house to the room I knew was hers when she visited. Carlos had followed us closely and once we had both entered her room she spun around and put her hand up to stop him. "We do not need you, go see your mother; my English is good enough for this talk."

He looked to me, clearly willing to stand up to his grandmother on my behalf. I decided whatever was going to happen just needed to happen, so I nodded that he could go back to the den and leave me here with this stranger I so deeply wanted to approve of me.

He backed up but didn't walk away and when Abuela Rosa shut the door he was still standing there like a child who had been rejected and turned away.

I took a deep breath and truly looked at Abuela Rosa for the first time. Her hair was nearly all white with just a few strands of dark peeking through. It appeared to be long, but was pulled up in a tight bun that kept me from knowing for sure. She was slightly bent at the shoulders and her dark skin was wrinkled and leathered from many years in the sun. She sat in a small wing back chair and indicated she wanted me to sit in the wooden chair across from her. I sat down and looked to see if she had any other instructions and was caught by the light in her eyes.

Her eyes were brown and round and practically danced. She seemed wise well beyond anything I had ever seen before and I knew I needed to pay careful attention to anything she said.

When she was settled she looked at me and smiled. The winkles on her face arranged themselves in such a way that I knew she must smile a great deal, as the expression was natural and lovely. "You love my Carlos?" She asked, but it was said in a way that told me she already knew the answer.

"Very much," I replied honestly.

If anything her grin only grew at my response. "Tell me why." She instructed.

I swallowed hard, knowing this was the point that would make or break my relationship with the woman in front of me. "He is a good man," I began shakily. I cleared my throat and shut my eyes briefly in order to keep going. "He was the first person to really believe in me and support the things I wanted for my life. He's seen me at my worst and at my best, and he doesn't treat me any differently because of either one. He understands me and even though he knows all my secrets, he loves me anyway."

Then I opened my eyes and looked at her to finish, "And when we are together and he opens up to me, it's…like magic. Everything around us doesn't matter and the fact that we are together makes both of us stronger and better. I know some people consider him a hard man, and closed off with his emotions, but he's not that way with me and the fact that he trusts me enough to show me his true self makes me want to be worthy of such an honor."

When I finished talking I realized what she said next might define her opinion of me, but it no longer mattered. I loved Carlos, and I was convinced he loved me too. It was enough for me.

She pointed to a little velvet sack on the table beside us. It was worn and had a thin drawstring at the top. "It's for you," she instructed, waiting while I picked up the bag. "Carlos is my favorite boy. He was always tough, but inside he was tender. He worked hard to close it up so no one could see, but I looked and saw it." She paused to be sure I was looking. "You see it too."

I nodded that I did. "That I bought when he was born," she told me, motioning for me to look in the sack. I pulled the top open gently and saw a beautiful rosary inside. "I took one look at his eyes and saw great strength and knew he would need many of those to help him through the world."

I was struck at the image of Abuela Rosa on her knees praying the rosary for Carlos. "When he left for the army I prayed every day for him. Then when he did his missions I prayed twice a day. But when he came home I saw him pulling back more and more and I realized I had prayed wrong. I had prayed that God would protect him and keep him safe, but I had not prayed for love and Carlos had none."

I felt some tears prickle my eyes at the image of this woman worrying for the heart of the man I held so dear. "I knew it would take someone special to accept his secrets and love him past them. It would take someone with spirit to pull his heart back out and so I began to pray for that woman."

To think she had prayed for me caused the tears to fall and I quickly lifted my hand to wipe them away. "No," she corrected me, pulling my hand away. "No shame, those are tears from the heart. Let them fall."

I nodded and put my fingers back on the rosary in my lap. "When Lester began to tell me of this woman who had gotten my Carlos' attention, I began to hope. He told us stories of your adventures and I knew you were the one. You had spirit and even when terrible things happened you did not turn away."

I wondered what terrible things she knew about but I didn't think it was the right time to interrupt and ask. "Now that I see you together, I know you were the one I had been praying for and I see what you have together is what I hoped for him to find."

Her own eyes were moist and I thought it made them even more beautiful. "He will give you joy." She nodded like she was remembering something from her own past before adding, "And he will make you very mad, but the valley between the two is where you will live and be happy." I knew I needed to pay attention. I wasn't exactly sure what she meant but I knew it was important.

"Yes, you will be happy together." She concluded as she put her hands on top of mine. I looked down at my lap and smiled at the image of our hands so different in color and texture, yet joined strongly in our common love of a man.

When she sat back I picked up the rosary and saw that the once round beads were now slightly oval in shape, the sides having been worn down from the frequent prayers. I was catholic and knew the prayers, but I had not understood the whole rosary attraction. As if she could read my thoughts she said, "Put it away now. One day you will be lost in worry for him and you will get it then. You will pray and think of him and you will feel better." I understood that, and slipped it back into the sack it had been stored in.

Remembering my last minute grab at the apartment I reached down to my purse sitting on the floor and said, "I brought a little something for you too." Her eyes lit up and her face suddenly looked much younger.

From my purse I pulled a silver frame containing a five by seven snapshot Cal had taken of Carlos and I at Point Pleasant. The day my cast came off Carlos took me to celebrate the big occasion. We ran into Binkie and Cal who were walking along the boardwalk and he took our picture. I remember he counted to three and snapped a posed shot and then we relaxed and looked at each other as I heard the camera take another picture. The next day on my desk was this frame containing the second photo. There was nothing staged about it, but I thought it beautifully captured us together looking at each other with our love for each other and the joy it produced clearly evident on our faces.

Her bent finger traced his face and she smiled at the photo. "This is him, is it not?" She asked without looking at me.

I decided to chance speaking and answered, "That is how I see him and I thought you might like a picture of the man I fell in love with."

She looked at me and put her hand on my face, "You will be very happy." She promised, and I believed her with everything inside of me. "Now, let us go back out there before someone decides to check on us. No doubt he is still standing guard in case you need him."

I laughed lightly thinking there was no way he was still standing in the hall. Especially knowing Lester was in the house he was most likely being grilled by his family. When we stood, she pulled me to her in a hug. Her body might appear frail, but the strength of her embrace told me there was nothing weak about her heart. I returned it as best I could, thankful for her approval and for this time alone with such a special woman.

When she opened the door there, leaning against the wall, was Carlos. He looked at me with that single eyebrow raised in his sexy way and I smiled. The relief was written all over his face.

"Really Carlos, what did you think would happen," she teased him when his expression changed. Then she walked to him and reached up until he bent so that his face was next to hers. She whispered in his ear and then kissed his cheek. He nodded at her words, spoke quickly in response, and returned her kiss before standing up and letting her walk away.

Carlos pulled me to him tightly and held me to his chest. He was right; she did seem to like me.

_Ranger's POV_

When Stephanie walked out with Abuela Rosa I saw her smile and I couldn't contain my relief. I knew my grandmother was a wonderful woman, but something in Steph's nervousness had worn off on me and even when Les tried to get me to join the cousins in the den, I wouldn't leave until I knew she was alright.

Abuela came to me and lifted her hand in a way that I knew meant she wanted me to come to her. I bent over and heard her whisper in Spanish, _"She is your match, the perfect fit to your heart__,__ and you will be happy with her my dear boy."_

"_I already am,"_ I assured her, knowing it was true.

I pulled Stephanie to me and held her against my chest, absorbing the sense of peace that only she could bring. After a moment in our own little world I heard my annoying cousin at the end of the hall yell, "Are you going to hog Beautiful all night, or are you going to let her join in the fun?"

Reluctantly, we joined the chaos of the family in the den and I pulled her into my lap in the only available chair. She seemed surprised but relaxed into me when I gripped her tightly enough to let her know I didn't want her to get up. We ate and listened as the other members in my family talked, but for the majority of the time we sat there together, in silence, in our own little world.

After a few hours, I'd had enough and asked if she was ready to go. While she grabbed her purse from Abuela Rosa's room my brothers cornered me and asked when I was going to make her an official part of the family. I slammed down my blank face, refusing to answer their questions. It wasn't so much that I wanted to hide my happiness with Stephanie as it was fun to mess with them and refuse to answer their questions.

But when she stepped around the corner and walked up to me my mask slipped. I was aware of them elbowing each other and pointing so I knew my attempt to act unaffected was blown. But seeing her in that body hugging sweater with the shade of blue lighting up her eyes, I had no choice but to smile.

She looked at me and asked if I was ready. I took her hand in mine and pulled her to me to kiss her lightly. "I certainly am," I told her with my siblings yelling for us to get a room, and not do anything they wouldn't do. Fortunately, with the number of nieces and nephews I had running around, I knew the things they wouldn't do were few and far between so I had a lot of room there.

The ride back in the car was quiet, which was fine with me. I appreciated a chance to relax and escape from the noise of my family. It's not that I didn't love them, but a man can only take so much disorder. Steph seemed relieved and wasn't moving at all, so I knew her mind was much lighter than it had been for the ride to my parents' house where she fidgeted the whole time.

I glanced over at her and caught her watching me. "What?" I asked, curious as to what was running through her mind.

Initially she shook her head no, but I waited and my patience paid off when she answered, "Your grandmother is a wonderful woman. She loves you very much."

I smiled, agreeing with her completely. For whatever reason, my Abuela never gave up on me, even when other people wrote me off. I consider any success I may have in life now to be because of her intervention and support.

"I think she loves you too." I told her hoping she would believe me.

"I think she likes us together and she said we would be happy." She told me, giving me what I knew was only a small piece of what was said behind that closed door. My grandmother said very little, but when she spoke there was a great deal of wisdom in every word. The amount of time they spent together would have given her a great deal of time to share more than that.

I put my hand on her leg and rubbed it lightly. Steph gave me one of her signature sounds that instantly had my body responding and me swearing that I seemed to be catching every light red now that I wanted to get back to the apartment as quickly as possible.

She laced her fingers through mine and squeezed when the light turned green. I wasn't sure if she was just trying to let me know she liked holding my hand or if it meant something else. I was personally hoping it meant to gun the accelerator since the light was green and she was just as anxious as I was to get to back home.

When we finally parked in the garage I leaned over the console and pulled her face to mine to kiss her lightly. There would be plenty of time for more forceful contact upstairs, but right now I wanted her to know how much I appreciated her going with me and spending time with my family. I usually had to escape to the quiet of my apartment after spending an hour with the confusion of all the people talking and yelling over food. But with Stephanie beside me I hadn't gotten out of sorts or escaped into myself the way I usually had to in order to survive. She grounded me in so many ways and I wanted to thank her in the only way I had available to me.

When we pulled back she rolled her bottom lip between her teeth in a way that made me think she was unsure of what she was about to say. Then she leaned back and said, "You're welcome."

"And you say you don't have ESP," I teased her before jumping out to open her door.

We made it to the seventh floor tamely enough with her leaning against me in the elevator and me holding her tightly to me. When the elevator bell chimed that the door was opening I felt my body react like a thoroughbred at the starting gate. We barely made it into the apartment before Stephanie spun around and reached for my shirt to untuck it. Thankfully, I hadn't been wrong about her eagerness to get home too.

The door slammed behind us as she got frustrated trying to manage the buttons of my shirt and the movement of us walking. She grunted her displeasure, grabbed opposing sides of my shirt and yanked. The buttons flew and my chest was bare for her to see. The grin on her face and the dark color of her eyes made ruining an expensive shirt totally worth it. "You have five seconds to get that sweater off of you before it meets the same fate," I warned her beginning to advance. She kept her eyes on mine but started taking small steps backward and moving her hands to the hem of her sweater, pulling it up slowly in a way that made me want to rip it from her all the more.

By the time we got to the edge of the bed we were both naked and we hadn't even touched each other. The electricity vibrating between us was tangible and as much as I wanted to bury myself in her, I wanted to draw out the suspense too. Apparently her patience was not as present as my own because she initiated contact by reaching to the tie at the back of my neck and pulling it out, then running her fingers through my hair to pull it down.

The moment her nails ran over my scalp my control was gone. I grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her up, wrapping her legs around me. "I love you," I confessed with my lips touching hers as I spoke.

She moaned at the closeness we were sharing and responded in kind, "I love you too, Carlos." The time she spent with Abuela must have made an impression because she said my name with the slightest hint of a rolled 'r' and it snapped something inside me.

I crawled onto the bed with her holding tightly to me and without any warning I slid deeply into her. The surprise of my entry and the feeling of being so close made us both cry out and tighten our holds.

We moved together in the dance only our bodies knew the rhythm for and I knew my grandmother was right. Stephanie was the other part of my heart; she was what my life needed to be complete. I was home at this moment inside her and knew our lives together would bring us both the love we deserved.

Our life together began with a fever and the passion we generated rivaled that heat regularly. I learned early on what she meant to me by enduring the thought of her being taken away too soon. I mourned the time I lost by fighting my feelings and pushing her away, and I swore to never allow distance between us again.

When we were reunited, things had once more shifted in our relationship. Gone were the insecurities or doubts. Gone were the fears about worth or the reaction of others impacting our happiness. We had found that most rare treasure of a safe home for our hearts.

Moving with her now I felt the love we shared as tangibly as one could feel a blanket. It covered and warmed us both. I felt the security of someone who knew and accepted me, and the excitement of a future yet unknown, but not to be faced alone. I knew about the diamond I had hidden in my safe that I planned on giving her for Christmas in the hope she would agree to be my wife and I hoped that she might agree for us to begin a family of our own soon.

_Stephanie's POV_

I lay in Carlos' arms content and still. He seemed to have a slight smile on his face and the only explanation he would give other than what we had just done was that he was looking forward to our first Christmas together.

I was too, but I wasn't sure how he would feel about my gift. The time he spent caring for me when I came home from the hospital included us making love several times every day. Unfortunately, it also included antibiotics to prevent any new infections from my injuries, and I didn't realize that medication could affect the birth control shots Bobby gave me every quarter. I blew it off thinking nothing of it, figuring my body had been through enough that I couldn't even begin to think about that too.

But last week when the time for my cycle to occur came and left with nothing happening, I began to worry. Strangely enough we were in Rossini's when a couple came in with what was obviously a newborn baby in a carrier to celebrate the birth of their first child. Tears came to my eyes wondering if we would ever celebrate such an occurrence but I said nothing.

Of course I didn't need to say a thing as Carlos took my hand and squeezed it softly before saying, "Soon, Babe."

"Really?" I asked, unsure why that comment made me so excited.

"A year ago I would have said absolutely not, but you have definitely changed my mind about what I want out of life." He replied cryptically, leaving out what it was he now wanted.

I let it go then but harbored the hope his reaction would be similar to mine. Wrapped under the tree, in addition to a few practical gifts, was an unopened rectangle box that contained a small piece of plastic. When opened and used, if the results came out as I anticipated, it would display a small positive sign. It might not be the most traditional gift, but something told me he would treasure it above the other presents he would be unwrapping that day.

_A/N: Whew! I can't believe my first Ranger/Stephanie story is finished. It doesn't seem like that long ago that we began this ride. I can't thank you all enough for your steady reviews and private messages along the way. You knew I was nervous trying to write the man in black and your support kept me typing away. Although I owe many people thanks for encouraging me I especially want to thank Jenn (perfectmanhattan) who had been my beta through many stories and began this journey with me, and then Fredda (rangergirl1234) who picked me up when I needed beta help to finish this adventure. You were both terrific to work with and made such an impact, both on me and the story._

_I have to take a few days off, but will be back with another story. Now, should it be another Merry Man adventure, or another Babe story…decisions, decisions._


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